Reliving Memories of a Distant Love
by Wordylady87
Summary: Take a step back in time to when Aladdin had a love before Jasmine, when he tried to win the heart of the princess and learned to be true to himself. Aladdin, a poor boy, roaming Agrabah's grueling streets, a true Diamond in the Rough (reboot of the original story!)
1. Mistakes are meant to be Made

Happy morning after Thanksgiving! I hope you all stuffed yourselves completely with turkey and other delectable goodies. So, yes, I have made severe edits to _Memories of a Distant Love_ , considering it was initially written when I was younger. I wanted a fuller story, and I hope you all enjoy the goodies I've added. I'm also planning on submitting Memories to a contest on inkitt, so, please vote for Memories! Also, your reviews are very much loved, thank you! If there is one thing I am thankful for, it is for readers like you, who make writing this worthwhile!

Disclaimer: Aladdin does not belong to me, it belongs to Disney.

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Chapter 1- Mistakes are meant to Happen

The sun blazed down on the city of Agrabah with a fierce growl of humidity that left those within its walls frustrated with perspiration, envying the Sultan who most likely was bathed in the brisk walls of his elegant abode. The people loved their ruler, but they weren't in favor of dying from the unbearable heat, being whisked away in a blazing inferno of debilitating sweat that they cursed the royal name.

"Stop! Thief!"

As days rolled by, it was the same commotion. Nothing ever changed in Agrabah, with the exception of theft, fights, and crime. Stealing a loaf of bread to fill ones stomach, being chased by the palace guards and escaping by a thread of hair just in time to settle down to enjoy ones _hard earned_ meal. Hard earned beheld many differing meanings. You either earned your meal in coins, or you earned your meal by surviving a day in the marketplace. The caste system was dreadful, there were more bottom dwellers/street rats than could ever be imagined. Agrabah was a city of mystery, however, and enchantment. Hearts were won, and just as easily were they broken. One never knew who they would run into, whether in their favor or not. It was a labyrinth. But, no resident could ever say it was boring.

He was sick of struggling to live, but being a "street rat" had a price to pay. It wasn't fun, but it was one big game. He blew his raven tresses from his eyes and looked back to see if any guards were making their way down the alleyway he had jumped into. None. With a sigh of relief, he climbed his way through the barrels and onto the other side of the street, his warm and crusty treasure safely tucked between his forearm and armpit. Grinning to himself, he dove into another empty sector and tore off the end of his prize and sampled, savoring the steamy flavor before remembering the next step to chew and finally swallow. He continued this pattern until the loaf disappeared.

Late teens, many would describe him as; A time of trouble making and decisions driven by hormones. Teenage boys came into their own, just as teenage girls began to settle and prepare to marry. Upholding family honor was everything. Uncertain if they could say the same for Aladdin, many could vouch they had seen him steal food and give to the hungry children of the city, so his heart was kind and humble. His hands were calloused, though his upper arms were toned from all the muscle he had to use from scaling walls.

Clothing was simple. Bare chests, violet vests to barely cover. Pants that once held shades of white were now tanned, torn, and patched. Shoes became obsolete for Aladdin and he learned to use what he was born with to survive, as that's all he had. That's all he would use.

Stealing had become second nature for the poor boy. He had been left on his own at the age of ten. He had progressed and advanced, wizened up to how things transpired in Agrabah. Every year, he enhanced and improved than the last time he had stolen an item; grew twice as swift; ever cleverer in strategy. It was a horrible way to live. But, whether they liked it or not, this was peasantry living. Unless taxes were lowered, poverty was becoming larger than the population, if that was at all possible. Once again, the people cursed their beloved sultan.

As the street rat ate his loaf, commotion brewed elsewhere as a young woman no older than sixteen herself roamed Agrabah's marketplace, waiting for an ignorant vendor to turn his back so she may partake in any of the delectable items he had freshly created for a consumer to purchase, or a street mouse to snatch.

"Just a little more..." she half muttered, eyeing this particular vendor carefully. Heavy set confirmed he lacked in agility. She had to plot accordingly and use his weakness to her advantage.

Elsewhere, trumpets played their harmonious tune, creating a symphonic congested mess before the palace balcony. The people awaited the announcement of their ruler. Uninterested, the young woman moved in and reached her hand out, fingertips brushing wood and a hint of the delicate peel of a red apple. The vendor turned around to see and she snatched her hand back. No go. If only the round man would just follow the herd, she thought to herself. She was growing impatient, her mind sore from thinking on an empty stomach. She remembered patience was a virtue, patience was key, and the best things came to those who were.

She huffed. "Damn it," she muttered softly, withdrawing quickly and drew her attention elsewhere as the merchant looked over to her with a rather suspicious glance. She paid him no mind and looked up to the balcony. It was a blur, but she could make out the small little man that had been known as the sultan. Once again, he was gracing Agrabah's people once more with his presence.

"Oh what a treat," she muttered bitingly. She assumed she was supposed to appreciate the image before her. Royalty taking an ounce of kindness on his people with generous words, promises of a better future she never saw the day after, or the following months. It was the same blather that she had given up hope on. She slunk down to the ground, sitting before glancing up at the sound of shushing.

"Shush," a commoner silenced her. "The sultan has done many things for us. Placed a roof over our heads, gave us such fine food," And from there he prattled on his admonishment to the young girl whom he felt had much to learn. The youth, he gathered, were just so darn disrespectful.

The young woman shook her head softly, her eyes drifting towards the back of her head. How more wrong could this man be? Either he was brainwashed, blind, or just refused to believe that their ruler hadn't done a damn thing but raise the taxes and sit on his fat ass in the lap of luxury with his prim and proper brat. There was no greater reality, but she supposed some would rather bask in their ignorance.

"If you say so," she said, more so to get this man to stop his blather about something so far from the truth, it was practically delusion. She rose from her seated position and leaned against a cart. "So, what's going on?"

"As if you didn't know," he chuckled softly. "They're announcing the beginning of the many suitors to face Princess Jasmine. She must choose a husband, seeing as how once her father passes, she'll rule Agrabah. And what a fine job she'll do," he gave a rather satisfied sigh, which caused the young woman to contort her face in a rather disgusted fashion. The man frowned upon sight of her displeasure. "And just what do you have against the royal family?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," she waved the stranger off, looking up to see the small, stout man continuing on with his speech, the peculiar crowd that had gathered roared their cheers. She tucked some of her brown locks behind her hair and frowned a bit as her eyes soaked in the display. "I just don't understand, I guess."

The man smiled. He was reaching his twilight years, supported by a cane, the hunch on his back was prominent, clad with balding gray hair. He held a rather kind face, which was deceiving with heavy opinions and compliments towards the sultan that easily rolled off the tip of his tongue. She had words in response to that, but she wasn't about to argue with an old man, so, she left it as is. Perhaps he remembered a time when Agrabah thrived, she'd never know. But, for now, she had other things to worry about.

"It was nice talking to you," he said, gave something of a wave and teetered on his merry way. His cane dug into the sand, passing through the small aisle in the middle of the marketplace to walk. Hearing the tap of the cane, people parted to create space for him to walk.

Once she was sure the elder was out of her vision, she turned back to the cart to see the owner's attention was fixed on the sultan. With a sneaky grin she slowly moved in, her arm sliding up to the wood paneled siding, then to the soft lining of the cart, then felt a ripe peel of a sweet piece. With itching fingers, she quickly plucked a side one; she gave a grin in triumph, but that wouldn't last for long the moment she heard the low growl of rumbling. With a fearful glance, she peeked up to see the apples threatening to spill. "No, no, no..." she pleaded with the fruit for a moment or so before she gave something of a shriek as the fruit toppled onto her.

The vendor looked over to the racket which caused a disturbance of the sultan's speech to see his goods had vanished. The young woman groaned a little as she lifted her hand up and out of the pile, only to suddenly be hoisted by the wrist and held up for all to see.

"Thief!" the vendor shouted into her face as many others followed his loud voice. He shook her like a rag doll for a few moments, the citizens of Agrabah turning their heads to view the scene the vendor was making. The young woman's new label chastised her, not that street mouse didn't already berate her in the city streets as is.

"Guards!" He shouted. "Guards!"

There was no way was she going to allow herself to be found out. It would mean losing her breakfast. Then again, it was better than losing her wrist, or worse, her head. She wriggled about in his grasp, which caught him off guard momentarily, and caused enough friction to sweat and ultimately release her, and then she roughly dropped to the ground. Groaning, the young woman forced herself up and found an opening to her escape. She slid between the man's spread legs, hurried to her feet, and ran with the fruit still intact in her hand. Hey, she even amazed herself sometimes.

She picked up her speed, climbed atop a few crates, then shot over a wall to lose anyone who may have been in back of her; she was far too afraid to look back. Sighing with relief she settled down against the hardened slabs of mud, certain she had lost those who had been most likely to follow her. The young woman looked at the dark red fruit in her hand and her eyes shimmered with delight. Leaning the juicy piece towards her cracked chapped lips, she felt weight applied on her shoulder, and then felt the weight lessen. She witnessed a creature hop off of her, along with her hard earned snack. She blinked in confusion for a moment and found a small brown ball of fur make off with her food.

"Hey!" She nearly died for her bit of food, and she wasn't going to let anyone take that away from her. The fur ball was fast, she had to admit, but, nonetheless was hot on its trail and would have caught it, if she didn't smack into something, or someone. Her whole world went black in a matter of seconds after the force of contact.


	2. Rounding Corners and Turning Heads

Chapter two of Memories, and it is just fluffing up by the paragraph. I hope you all enjoy :).

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Chapter Two- Rounding Corners and Turning Heads

"Hey, hey, can you hear me?" There was no sight, only sound. Everything was a blur. Shakily, she began to sit up, but failed and dropped back down to the ground. Surely, it was a rough smack into the young man. That and the lack of nourishment caused her to lose her balance some. An apple a day alone couldn't possibly give the girl enough nutrients to see straight. The boy sighed, "Abu..." he scolded softly. "Looks like you did it this time," he said and gave another attempt to wake the girl with gentle shakes and nudges.

Stirring lightly, her eyes began to flutter open, and look up to see two large chocolate orbs staring down at her own, causing hers to widen. Options were: she could scream, or she could hit him, then again, perhaps a combination of both would suffice nicely. Nothing better than waking up to see two big eyes staring right back at you. She did the first thing her body would respond to; she raised her hand and smacked him clear across the face to move him off of her body. And move he did.

He scrambled away from her and held the area where she had struck, rubbing it gingerly to ease the pain. "Wh-what was that for?" He questioned, not sure exactly why she would hit him to begin with. He wondered what provoked such a reflex.

She herself moved up to the wall, for one, thinking he was a palace guard and the quicker she moved away from him the better; and two, she needed something to lean against to help raise herself. But once her eyes were able to focus, she found out she was completely wrong. Once again, her eyes widened.

"Shit..." she muttered. Boy, did she ever screw up. "I'm sorry," she said. "I-I thought..." she stammered nervously.

Shaking his head, the boy collected himself and walked over to her, offering a hand to assist her up as she appeared frozen, "Don't worry about it, I've been through worse," he grinned, trying to assure this individual that he was more than fine. A tad stunned at the slap, perhaps, but just fine.

She bit her lip and accepted his hand, feeling her pulled up like air, and hitting against his body once more, though with a much softer force. "Did I hurt you?" She winced as she asked.

The boy shook his head and released the girl so she may stand on her own two feet. At first, she staggered, but, she was stable afterwards. The girl was petite, perhaps underweight from how light she was and as the boy examined, assumed she was of average height by how her head fit beneath his chin. Though to attempt to hide her underweight stature, she was clothed in a tanned tunic, which had once been white, and her feet were bound with nothing. Her dark brown tresses fell at her waist, tied back with some twine.

"So, where do you live?" The boy asked, "Maybe I can walk you to it?" He offered, and he did, in fact, make it sound tempting.

The girl merely shook her head, how could she explain that she didn't have one? "Don't trouble yourself," she said. "Really, it was kind of you to offer, though." She took a moment to think, it probably would have been best to leave, she had no business staying. And while she thought, the boy piped up, the silence was making the situation awkward and unpleasant.

"I'm Aladdin," he said, figuring an introduction was better than saying absolutely nothing.

The girl picked her head up from her thoughts, "Huh?"

He gave a rather nervous smile, "I'm Aladdin," he repeated slower this time.

"Savannah," she coughed out, "I'm Savannah." He broke out of his nervous smile and suited himself into a more comfortable one.

"Nice to meet you." He looked the girl over once more, and then met up with her rather nervous eyes. He was to question it, if she didn't suddenly say she needed to leave.

"You too, I-I should be going. Umm, and again, I'm sorry!"

"Hey, don't mention it, Savannah," he said, then looked down to the small ball of fur who had robbed her earlier. He bent down and plucked the treasure he had been desperately clutching out of hunger, the monkey screeched in protest to keep it. "You know that doesn't belong to you," he said. Then again, he shouldn't talk, now should he?

"No, really, he could keep it," she said. "I'll just go find myself another one," she said, then began to back up before she lingered any longer. "Thank you, anyway, umm, good bye, Aladdin," she said and clambered over the wall and to the other side, where she knew she was probably risking herself to open view, an easy target for the guards in any case.

Though it was sunset, most of them likely forgot about her little incident earlier that day. Savannah looked back, smiled a little to herself and walked the now lonely streets of Agrabah's marketplace. Savannah hummed to herself while she tucked a bit of stray hair behind her ear, her finger being claimed by a tangle. She looked to the long strand in disgust and continued to walk, venturing down an alleyway she found a secluded area and settled down, curling herself up in a ball to keep warm. She was fortunate that she didn't share this particular alley with any other street rats. Many were territorial and Savannah lacked the motivation to fight for a spot to sleep in an open space. Desperation controlled people to commit crazy acts, and she understood, but, she was coming down from a long day with no food. Many would consider that the beginning levels of starvation.

Tomorrow would be better, she assured herself. Tomorrow she wouldn't be so foolish as to allow herself to get mixed up with an angry shop keeper and a near run in with the guards. She'd just have to take extra precaution, is all. Perhaps a visit to an old friend was in order, find an easy way to find breakfast. And with that assurance kept in mind, she allowed sleep to overcome her.

Not too far off, Aladdin passed the alleyway the female had resided for the night. He wondered who that girl was, other than finding out her name; he wanted to know more about her. It was nice to have at least someone besides a monkey to talk to. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the company Abu kept him, but, sometimes he needed another human being to talk to. He'd been alone for most of his life. He had made friends with a duo of two other street dwellers, but they left him eventually, as well. He never had girls as friends, he didn't know what they were like or how to really talk to a girl. He had witnessed guys talking to girls, and many ended poorly.

"Probably made a fool of myself," he muttered, recalling the situations of how the guys tried to smooth talk the girls, and then glanced over to the monkey who had finished the apple right down to the core and tossed it to the side with a full belly. He had no problems interacting with Abu, he was really all he had left.

Aladdin smiled somewhat and stroked the monkey with his index and middle finger. The moon beamed on the duo as they passed through multiple blocks of homes and came upon a sector in which the moonbeams bathed and in his line of sight had been the palace in all of its glory. For a moment, the boy could feel his heart race. For him, the palace was relief, it was hope. The palace was a building of dreams. In his dreams, the palace took him away from the plights of poverty. Instead of running, servants held platters open with food aplenty; shelter from the elements and a life so unattainable to him given his current state.

"What I wouldn't give to live there," he said. "Wouldn't be scrounging for food, or sleep in the cold anymore. We wouldn't have any problems at all..." But who had he been kidding? It was just a far off mirage that he would have to wish for to get even close to getting into the palace.

"Come on, Abu...let's go home," he said, then looked over to his shoulder to find out that the monkey had fallen asleep at some point while he had been lost in his fantasies. He laughed a bit and passed a few more blocks, climbed up a ladder and settled down in a disheveled, but spacious room. A part of the wall had been knocked out, but, was covered by a sheet in a weak attempt to keep the cold out. The boy settled his companion on a pillow that seemed twice its size and covered the frail body with a shredded navy blanket that had been a mere scrap of cloth that he found one day.

Once he was sure that his furry friend was settled in, he sat on the ledge and glanced out towards his view of the palace. He often stared at it, but there was no sight like what he had seen earlier, up close and nearly personal. But, that was merely feeding his boyish dreams. Hey, that's what kept him going, right? His dreams were what gave him at least a light glimmer of hope in such a blackened world. As long as he dreamed, he was still Aladdin.


	3. The Daily Life of a Street Rat

The next morning had been the same as any other, bakers would put out their fresh rolls; the seafood vender setting out the fresh catch that had been caught earlier that morning, fruit venders polishing their apples and pears in an attempt to attract customers to their kiosks with bright colors and fresh appeal, they figured nothing could go wrong.

 _That saying applied to anyone, unless you were a street rat._

And of course the street rats had barely any luck. The poor tried to eat and they were punished. That's just how the system worked. The lucky ones got at least a nibble, rare if they got more. Children rummaged through trash heaps and piles, not wanting to risk the various stands that laid before them, knowing what would happen to them if anything went wrong. Lost limbs were a common practice in Agrabah.

 _That was just the problem, something always went wrong._

True enough as it was, that was just how things had to be (for the time being). The raven haired boy the street mouse had met the evening before laid on top of one of the canopy's that hung above a melon stand, the monkey carefully chose a cantaloupe, and curled back up to the one called Aladdin.

The female on the other hand shoved her hands into her pockets, her eyes roamed from countertop to countertop, like a woman with money doing her daily window shopping, with the exception of actually having money. There was something in particular she had been looking for, a certain something, or even a particular someone. Although at the moment, even she wasn't so sure.

"Now where could it- aha, here we go," she murmured to herself, facial features lighting up as she neared her destination; the various baked goods practically screamed out her name. She crept up, moved a dish of cinnamon rolls and picked herself up upon the sturdy counter, crossing her legs like she had seen the elegant middle class woman do, trying to copy their sophisticated technique. She waited until the baker turned to face her.

"Oh! Savannah!" He jumped, blinking at her as though he had seen an apparition, or something of the sort.

The girl grinned and wiggled her fingers, "Morning."

"And what brings you to my humble stand this morning?"

He was a fresh, baby faced young man, so there was no telling just how old he was. Savannah and the baker often played a game of guessing a near estimate of his age to receive a roll. It was his way of her earning food to avoid trouble with the law. His chocolate orbs smiled at the girl in front of him, while his hands shooed her off of his clean counter.

Nevertheless, he was a family friend; one of her mothers, to be exact. Even if he couldn't have taken Savannah in after her mother's passing, he would do anything to protect Desiree's daughter.

"I just came to see how you were doing," she said, not budging from her spot. "I haven't seen you for quite some time."

The elder man nodded as this was true. He set some rolls into a basket, hot buns in another. Once more, he attempted to shoo her off of his counter, needing the space. Finally, the girl obliged and shifted off, leaning against it for support. The smell of those rolls was driving her insane. Her stomach pulled inward for her to take, she had to will her self-control.

"Would you like one?" He questioned, perhaps even able to hear her stomach roar. "You know the drill."

Savannah stared long and hard at the baker, taking note of wrinkles, especially around the eyes. But, it wasn't enough. She knew he was older than thirty, younger than fifty. "I'm going to say forty-seven."

The man appeared playfully offended. "My girl, that is far too old."

"Thirty-nine?"

"Now you're not even trying. One more guess."

Savannah paused and gave him a hard stare, studying and analyzing, trying to make at least the effort he was seeking. "Forty-one."

The man chuckled and offered her the tray. "Just one for not trying," he teased.

And one was more than enough. Finding the fluffiest one, she bit into it, savoring the steam and the warm flavor, slipping into her own world for just a moment before drawing back into reality. Savannah glanced back at the man who had been giving a soft chuckle.

"You remind me more and more of your mother every time I see you, my dear," he said as he gazed at her fondly. "How I do miss her so." Savannah possessed her mother's eyes, so warm and inviting. The years of her being alone, no doubt, hardened them. The baker could not blame her.

"Yeah, you and me both," she said softly. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't leave a lily for her."

Although their chat had abruptly ended when the elder man from the day prior had tumbled into the girl's arms, she fell onto her side. Venders glanced at the commotion at the baker's stand; the owner himself wasn't sure whether there was anything he could do. The answer came clear as one of the palace guards charged after the elderly man. He mentally urged for Savannah to get up quickly.

"Stop! You! Girl! Don't let him get away!"

The senior stared at her fretful, and fear embedded in his weathered eyes. Savannah stared at him, curious why someone who seemed more well off than she would be in such a predicament. However, she hadn't the time to ask questions. Upon clasping his hand into her own, Savannah helped him up and hurried off to hide. The guards weren't ignorant, they recognized her from yesterday. Once they had realized, the head of the guards saw this as an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

Up on the canopy, Abu scrambled to the tip of the pole that held the cloth together, watching the riot begin to peel into the streets. "Abu, what're you looking at?" Aladdin asked, peering over with his furry friend, seeing the damsel in distress with her father, perhaps? Whoever, Aladdin figured that he felt obligated to assist; it's what his heart told him.

Dashing and bouncing from canopy to awning, he followed the girl. She was swift, even with the old man in tow. He felt he thought too soon as the guards followed right behind her, cornered her at a dead end. That's what they had planned; it seemed, from the very beginning.

Agrabah's marketplace had been engraved in their skulls, as sad as that could be perceived. Aladdin pondered for a moment, climbing up the side of the building, he loosened the tie to a clothes line, zipping down, and snagging the girl around her waist, taking her up with him, along with the old man whose hand had gripped tight to the young woman's with no intention of letting go. The guards followed on a hot pursuit until, well, misfortune struck them face first into a wagon of camel manure.

Aladdin chortled; setting the three of them onto a balcony of a house whose occupants weren't home, much to their luck.

"Are you alright?" Savannah turned to the old man, who had taken a seat on the cold, stone floor. He nodded weakly, his body trembling. She not dared to ask why he had been running from them.

"Seems like you can't seem to stay out of trouble, huh?" Aladdin guffawed as he brushed himself off of scattered dust and debris; Abu snickered in small increments for a petite animal.

"Very funny, I'll have you know-" She turned around, ceasing in mid sentence to stare in awe at the young man who had saved her ass the previous day. "Aladdin…"


	4. What Matters Most in Times of Peril

After redoing this chapter, I personally love the growth between Aladdin and Savannah. Aladdin learning what it means to have testosterone and for Savannah to be challenged on her views of living...

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Chapter Four: What Matters Most in Times of Peril

Aladdin stood there, hands lightly placed on his hips as he watched the young woman brush herself off. If memory served correctly, this would be considered their third encounter. And he has begun to attach himself to her; like a child would attach his or herself to their first playmate or best friend. She was an interesting character, this Savannah, and he determined he wanted to know more of her.

"As I said, you just can't seem to stay out of trouble," his smile beamed.

Savannah quickly grew out of her embarrassed state, now that she had collected herself, her guard was back up, and slipped back into character. "I'll have you know I was doing fine on my own," she argued. Although Aladdin didn't quite believe her, so, he offered a teasing grin.

"Uh huh, so, you had the entire situation under control while the guards were chasing you?"

"That's what I had planned," she responded not a moment sooner then he asked it.

The elder man glanced from one to the other. To him, it was all so confusing. All he wanted to do was go back home, crawl into his bed and sleep. Although, there wasn't all that much confusion at hand; as much as Savannah was attempting to put up a fight, Aladdin continued to weaken that chance for her, and made it all seem like a game.

"Right." He raised his eyebrow.

"It was!"

Alright, so, she was going to give up. She found this fight progressing nowhere and nowhere fast, and he didn't seem to be giving her much of a fighting chance at all. So, there was just no use in continuing. The more mature adult stood, knees knocking as he attempted to climb back up onto his own two feet. He was going to go home with or without an escort _(not that he expected one, mind you)_. He was grateful enough that the two youths were able to help him escape and result unscathed.

Savannah heard the scrapes and shifts as he picked himself up, she offering a lending hand, he declined. "Are you going to be alright?" She asked him. He picked his humble eyes up at her.

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "I'll just take my leave now."

"Do you need any help?" She inquired further. He shook his head.

"I'll be fine," he responded, patted her hand, and began to slowly make his way out of the house. Quite a bold move, although he hadn't an option at the moment. He certainly wasn't going back down the way he came. He was going to risk himself getting caught in a more sensible way. Suicide, he felt, was far from appropriate.

As Savannah watched him teeter down, her gaze met back upon her saviors. As much as she didn't want to admit that he did, in fact, rescue her; there he was. "Yes, well, I should be leaving then." Her statement was bold. She would not allow him to mistaken it for a question. Savannah had to remind herself that she had to hold her own.

"You should leave with your father then," he said, watching the old man off. "He shouldn't be going off by himself."

"My father?" She asked, staring at him confusingly. "Oh, you thought? No, no," she laughed lightly. "No, he's just someone I met in the marketplace yesterday. He doesn't want help; I can't force him to accept help."

Aladdin merely nodded in understanding, although wondered why she was here on her own. Savannah, however, was unaccustomed to gestures and stares that weren't in a negative light. Her gaze hardened and decided to probe him the way he was her.

"Do you have some kind of a problem?" She asked sharply.

"No, no," he responded to her. "It's just that I have to wonder what a girl like you is doing out here all by herself, is all." He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he spoke, taking a few steps to the right.

"I've always been by myself," she said, though that came out softer than she intended. Being alone was tender with Savannah. Who wanted to be by themselves? She _was_ strong about it, however, she wasn't trying to grab sympathy from the boy. Aladdin nodded once more, just to show that he was acknowledging what she was saying.

"What a coincidence, so have I." Not that that was anything unusual, street rats were often left on their own. This time, it was Savannah to nod. It was hard to break the ice and say something to promote a decent conversation. Abu, on the other hand, thought this was the perfect time for him to come and save the night with his shrieks to alarm them of the owners returning from their evening out. Aladdin peered over the balcony, then glanced back up at the female, "I guess this would be our exit then?" he questioned this with a teasing grin, only for her to smirk lightly in return and hop over the balcony's railing.

"One jump ahead of you," she said playfully, as though the twinkle in her eye suggested a challenge to see who could escape without being found first, in return for his interruption earlier on her challenge then. Aladdin followed her, not quite wanting to accept her "challenge" right there and then, perhaps he would after he had made sure she was at least half way down the building. He climbed further up the house and onto the roof, waiting until Savannah made it down onto the ground before he began to leap from top to top, she following on foot. They were sure the owners were none the wiser.

When they had caught up to one another on even ground, Aladdin slid down from the roof had he been currently on, shimmied down a rope, and met her on the ground, proceeding to stroll down the blocks of homes; few lights were on. If they were to glance in, they would see mother's tucking their children in before blowing out their only source of light, leaving another dark home on the block. Savannah turned her head away, proceeding to continue her walk with Aladdin, not too sure where their destination lied yet. It wasn't until a few blocks out of the way did he ask her.

"Do you want to see something amazing?"

His inquiry didn't sound exciting, nor did it sound serious. However, the offer did hum in her ears temptingly, and really, who was she to decline? So, she nodded, hurrying to catch up with him as he took her down sharp turns, grasping onto her wrist so she didn't lose her place. He continued on, head first into a building that seemed more like a maze, a labyrinth of sorts.

As they strolled towards their destination, a crowd again had congregated in the streets. They had paved a pathway for a horse to stroll. Savannah could hear the clopping of the hooves. Glancing to one another, they wound through the crowd until they could get a closer look.

"Another suitor for the princess," a passerby stated.

Savannah rolled her eyes. Another suitor? That made nearly over one dozen suitors to have graced her presence. Now curious, Savannah wondered why she turned down each and every one of them. Probably weren't good enough for the prim brat.

"I wonder when she'll choose?" a woman inquired, practically gushing with lust. "Each one is more handsome than the last."

"If she's looking for a husband, I've got a fine son for her right here."

The people were abuzz, words flurrying about. Aladdin looked down at Savannah as she poked through. The crowd was beginning to tighten and she was ultimately spat in the middle of the road. The commoners gasped, Savannah splayed out as she glared up at the whinnying horse.

"Ugh," The prince sneered in disgust. "Get this vermin slut out of my way."

Savannah glared up at him. When she refused to move fast enough, the prince retrieved his whip from the side of his horse. "I said out of my way, you common whore."

Eyes widening, Aladdin spat out from the crowd and took the initial sting from the very tip of the whip, letting out a grunt as the remainder of the whip curled around his forearm. "You won't strike her. In fact, I can tell you where you can put that whip."

"How dare you," The prince was appalled. Shaking the shock of the peasant's rudeness off, he felt the whip pulled from his grip. He growled.

"You poor roaches disgust me. You will never be anything more than the dirt you crawl on. If I wasn't on my way to living out my destiny, I'd have your throats slit. Once I'm sultan, I'll be back for you."

Aladdin allowed the coil of the whip to slide off of him and drop the ground. Seething, he reached down and helped Savannah up. His arm snaked around her waist in protection, pressing her to him to show the wealthy ditz that only his hands would be on this woman tonight. The prince scoffed, his horse kicking dirt back at him. Aladdin tensed himself, his eyes never once leaving his foe.

The crowd looked onto them in horror, although none lent out a helping hand. Aladdin urged Savannah back into the crowd to sift through them to the other side. It was time to go home. He heard the heavy gates close behind them.

"How disgusting," Savannah spat.

"Are you alright?" Aladdin asked, looking down at her and his angered simmered. She smiled and nodded. She had fallen, but wasn't scuffed, scraped, or bruised. She would heal.

"Let me see your arm," Savannah insisted, despite not knowing this man, he had saved her from a certain beating. Her stomach knotted as the stress of the situation piled onto her. She swallowed her anger back and looked up at Aladdin. He was ready to keep moving, and she would not reject the idea. There was no sense in brooding over something they couldn't control.

"It's just a little further," he assured her. His affirmation was well kept, she had to admit. But, she didn't say anything, just followed him up a few flights stairs, a ladder or two and then into a crawl space until they finally reached the very top. Abu attempted to keep the two away from one another by latching onto Aladdin, and blocking Savannah's view, then crawled down his arm and blocked their hands from touching when she needed leverage to support herself up. Aladdin was his friend and not hers, and the monkey just wasn't about to let her walk on in and take over like who she thought she was. Nope. It just wasn't happening. Though Aladdin saw it differently, and was going to let it happen with open arms.

When he had stepped onto solid ground, he crouched over and held his arms out to assist her up. Abu quickly scurried over to his shoulder and made a feeble attempt to bat her hands away. Aladdin glanced over to his shoulder, frowning lightly before grasping onto the others slender hands and slowly slid her up and into his abode. While she picked herself up, her body gently tapped into his, her eyes rising from his feet, to his bare chest, up to those chocolate eyes.

 _'Oh boy…Alright, Savannah, it's just a guy, like any other guy. Calm down and get a grip, girl!'_

She deemed her thoughts would save her, yet, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks regardless; he offered her a gentle smile which didn't seem to make matters any better. Savannah swallowed hard, Abu glared at her, getting in between the two, flailing his hands in anger while he sputtered, shrieked, and whined. She heard the other utter a sigh while she slipped back into reality and willed the heat away.

The room was dark; she took a moment to adjust her eyes to the setting, letting herself absorb the darkness. She closed them, then opened again and finally found herself able to see somewhat. Aladdin took this time to think for a moment.

"I promised to show you something amazing," he suddenly said, reminding her why they were there.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess you did," she muttered, her mind distracted by the earlier incident.

A playful smile rose to his face once more as he stepped over to the sheet that covered the window, noticing the few beams of moonlight that had managed to seep inside to provide even the slightest bit of light. He drew back the sheet, the moonlight hitting her, bathing the young woman with its effecting rays. Though, he didn't bring her all the way to his home just to show her a moon, she was sure. Savannah could see that well enough in an alley on her own. No, it was what lied beneath it: the grand view of the palace.

Confusion overwhelmed her, how was it that an incident prior could occur and he still take pride in the view before him? He struck her the type to not allow one rotten bastard to ruin what he must have been dreaming of a lifetime. Alright, she could settle with that.

"Isn't it amazing?" he asked, quite proud of such a fine sight. This had been his greatest joy since, well, he wasn't sure since when. He put the earlier incident out of his mind, going back to what he had always wanted. Forget that spoiled bastard, he'd never win the princess, not with that attitude. He couldn't picture the snake getting very far with the people of Agrabah. No, there was a special place for people like him.

Savannah stared fixed at the large formation, mapping every detail into the contours of her memory bank. She glanced sideways at him. So, he was a dreamer. She had proclaimed herself a realist when there were no more dreams to comfort herself with at night. Not when there was a horror every morning when she woke. She assumed he took each day by and a dream and a dream alone; a goal, so to speak. She had to give him credit for having one.

"Speechless, I know," he said, admiring the view. There was no smile, more like a look of placidness and content. "Don't you wish you could live there?"

Now that was something she could laugh at. She thought about it. She didn't. "It's amazing alright," she said flatly and nothing more.

Aladdin turned away from the palace's view to her. "It's something. Don't you just wish, though? You wouldn't have to scrounge for food, no more hoping, or wishing. You'd have anything you could ever want, right there at your fingertips; you wouldn't have any problems at all."

"I suppose you could," she said, crossing her arms over her chest loosely. She was trying to look at it from his point of view, but, was finding it very hard to do so. A royal life seemed like it was almost everyone's wish. And truly she couldn't blame them. To live in the lap of luxury, have all the money and treasures in the world. Her thoughts trailed, she wouldn't want to rule, though.

She'd want to rebuild Agrabah, rebuild its system and how its inhabitants were treated, especially the children. It angered her so that the Sultan or his brat hadn't taken the time to notice what was going on outside their golden walls. It made her want to scream, cry; she didn't know what she wanted to do more of first, even if she wouldn't stoop that low. Being a hero was not on her agenda, she just wanted a difference made on their fair city.

But, that's just not how it went. It played a different tune and the game piece was in the other hand, the richer hand.

She stepped closer to the window. She was so close; felt she could almost touch the walls. Aladdin watched her, calling out her name several times before she took notice.

"Hmm? What?" She blinked. Savannah took note that they were two different people. But, as they said, opposites attract, no?

"Nothing," he laughed lightly, leaving the sheet to the side to give them greater light to see so they could chat longer. He was enjoying this time with someone else, the beginning of a new friendship as he saw it.

"So," he began, hoping to rouse another topic, since the converse of the palace bothered her for some unknown reason, perhaps something had happened involving the royals in general, but, he wasn't going to pry.

That was how the night progressed. They talked about various different topics, they skipped the part about themselves, the two of them got the vibe they would know more about one another in due time. So, there was nothing to rush. And since there was no rush, their chatting shifted all through the evening and developed into the sunrise. Savannah had shifted into a comfortable position, leaning against the wall, eventually drifting off to sleep when the conversation grew light.

Aladdin watched the sun begin to rise above the palace, his eyes glistening with so much hope; so much belief. He even thought, maybe, he'd share his dream with her. If he even gained position on the throne, he'd offer her a seat in power, once he figured out how he'd go about doing that. He was sure that someone so similar would enjoy that. Even if he hadn't quite realized just how different the two were.

He glanced over to the girl to question about breakfast, though found her asleep. He gazed at her contently for a moment, a light chuckle seeping past his parted lips, and lifted one of the blankets beneath Abu, who hissed softly about being stirred awake, and draped it over her slender, feminine form. He would just wait until she awoke. There was no sense in disturbing her.


	5. Taking Life as it Comes

Chapter Five- Taking it as it Comes

The rain had stopped. A veil of mist parted to introduce painted skies of pinks and oranges, purples and a tint of lingering blue, which had been deepening to break through for the evening to emerge. Birds twittered their last melodies before settling in for well needed sleep. It was one of those nights where the evening just didn't make an ounce of sense. There were nights such as those, somewhere around the world and it just so happened to hit Agrabah this particular evening.

With a crimson moon to begin with and a warm, gentle breeze, Savannah stood by the oversized hole in Aladdin's home, pushing back the curtain far enough for her to see. Aladdin sat nearby, sharing his half of the loot with his partner who sifted through some fruit until he chose one ripe enough for his taste. It had been days since they last spoke; weeks since they had a conversation even close to the one they had that first evening of their declared friendship.

 _Silence._

By now, the birds had stopped their twittering and the crickets had exchanged places to serenade lovers and loners alike.

 _Silence remained._

Savannah glanced back to the acquaintance that she now called a friend, watching him and his companion feed from the horde that the duo had managed to gather. Savannah wasn't going to feed just yet; she would eat whatever remained in the aftermath. He would glance back at her from time to time, and when their gazes would connect, she would look away in embarrassment. Soon enough, the tension between the two was thick enough to cut with a sharp implement.

"So, did you have any trouble out there today?" Aladdin questioned, he figured he would be the one to thaw the frozen wasteland. Savannah shook her head.

"No, it was fine, how about you?" Still, she wouldn't turn her gaze to him, knowing what the outcome would be if she were to.

"No, no trouble, as usual," he smirked. He knew his brilliance, but just wasn't cocky enough to really display it. He was only teasing, after all. He rose from the floor and padded over to the sheet. "And what is it that's got you so occupied?" he asked, taking hold of the end she had been holding and pulled back the screen, watching the moon rise gradually above them.

"It's a nice view tonight, after a rain storm," Savannah murmured softly, watching the wisps of humidity rise from the ground. Aladdin nodded, slipping a casual arm around her to rest on her shoulder. Already she could feel the heat rise to her cheeks. She took note of the little things with him, like how he would always touch her by a mere hand hold to a slip around the shoulders. He showed it as a sign of affection, something casual for the boy, but for Savannah it beheld several meanings. Perhaps she looked too in depth into something so simple.

"Hey, look, look, quick," Aladdin distracted her attention back into focus to the horizon ahead, just before the sky fell into black abyss. He pointed out a strip of various colors…mainly indigo, red and yellow. Savannah's eyes widened gently, leaning over the edge to see further, Aladdin kept an eye on her to make sure she hadn't leaned over too far, though he knew she was alright.

"I've never seen one before," she whispered in awe.

"I've seen one once or twice when I was a kid," he said, watching as it faded away. After all, they had only caught the bitter end of it, they followed the remainder as far as it went, both pairs of chocolate eyes landing on the bulk of the palace. Savannah frowned. What was once a breathtaking beauty turned out to be the beast in disguise. There was no pot of gold at the end of that rainbow. "Amazing…" Now, it had been Aladdin's turn to breathe, awe-stricken.

Savannah arched a brow over to him, picking herself up and composing herself once more against the wall, "Must we?" she questioned, referring to the palace.

"I've noticed something about you," Aladdin pointed out. "And I've got to know, what do you have against the palace? Every time it comes up, you're annoyed and are quick to just talk about something else. What's up, Savannah?"

"What do you love so much about it?" She retaliated sharply.

"I asked first," he said, glancing up at her from her bare feet to her angered eyes. Oh, how they flared up with hatred in regards to Aladdin's beloved palace.

"…" Savannah wasn't sure how to word it. She had never been put on the spot before, and Aladdin was quite determined to find out what was going on in that thick head of hers. "Tell me, Al," Somewhere along the line, she had given him a nickname of her own when she was either annoyed or angry with him over something. "What good have they ever done for you?"

The question startled him some. He had never been asked that. He dreamed. That's what he did. He never really looked in depth to it. "It's given me something to think about," he said, finally.

"I don't mean a dream, Aladdin," she said softly, taking his hands into her own for a moment. He stared at them, then up at her. She continued, "I mean, realistically, what have they ever done for you? They're up in that palace all day, basking in those golden walls of theirs! They don't give a damn while were down here, suffering and scraping for food. It's not about whether it's fair or not either, no, now it's gone far beyond that. People are ill, dying even; children are looking in dumpsters for a bite." She paused, feeling a lump developing in her throat. "And, and…" she took a moment to breathe, thinking about how to word her last bit. "And it's _not_ fair. They don't know, they don't see- they don't take the time to see what's become of their city."

Aladdin had nothing to say, just as she expected.

"They're selfish people, why look up and want that? They wouldn't care whether you lived or died," She said to him, squeezing his hands gently, and then finally let them go. He felt something wet as she withdrew. Had she been crying? He glanced up, she hadn't touched her face, and the tears ran like the Nile, wet, with no intention of ceasing.

He raised his hand again, resting his palm against her cheek, allowing the pad of his thumb to caress her cheek gently. He grazed the bartering Nile. She said nothing in response to this, though felt she being moved in one quick, fluid motion, her body pressed up against his, his strong arms embracing her, physically assuring her that she wasn't alone, she could cry and it would be alright. He wasn't sure of what to say, or if there was anything that he could say that would make her feel any better. No, he was sure there wasn't, all he could do was embrace her, just as he was.

The flow of her tears had ceased. She didn't move. Time seemed to stand still. There was no sound of the crickets, no trickle of the fountain. Just the sound of their heartbeats seemed to have joined as one for that single profound moment. Savannah closed her eyes, letting the moment take her as it pleased.

"I'm sorry, I had-I had no idea." That was just the first chapter, he was sure more must have lied locked inside of her heart where he may not tread until she so desired for him to, a day he would await for eagerly. He felt her shake her head, gazing up at him so vulnerably, her exterior had diminished, just for him. He had never seen a woman look at him like that, but, as they say, there's a first for everything. He tightened his grip on her, her cheeks burned bright. No words were needed, her eyes were the book of the story he had longed to read.

Never before had he felt more like a man, not since the night he protected her from the prince. Here was this woman who held up a fight and a front for so long. She was displaying all these raw and new emotions. So, that's why she was so sharp, that's why she was irritated. He assumed that it all had to do with that _monthly friend_ women chirped about. Normally oblivious, Aladdin began to smarten up. His hands rested against her back, lowering to the small of it. Unsure of what was transpiring; Aladdin decided he would roll with the motions.

He leaned down, nuzzling his nose against hers before his lips caressed themselves upon hers, a sense of dominance commanding him as he pressed further. She obliged and accepted, returning his form of compassion, her fingers biting into his vest. She felt the velvet, the silk against her lips, the delicious venom of a man's kiss, powerful, lingering; it also stung like no other, didn't necessarily mean in the negative spectrum, either. It did melt her worries, her fears, allowing a man to take over what she had concealed for so long. As though it were a veil of her own assertiveness that nearly demanded to be challenged, and here he was, challenging her full throttle. She still had no idea what it truly meant, despite the evidence being in front of her.

Together, they stood, bathed in the enchanting glow of the moon, tangled in one another's arms, the other refusing to let go, as it was the first of many eve's to truly express ones current feelings. If not by words, then they would find out by actions. Some people waited a lifetime for that certain twinkle where their hearts fluttered; a moment Savannah would often dream of and Aladdin had often seen, but never felt. Whether it was for comfort, or to bud a blossom of feelings yet to come…that was only for the future to determine. Yet, for the time being, the duo would wait it out.

it was one of those nights where nothing made sense; somehow the stars aligned, the humidity receded, the thickness lessened, and all because boy and girl met in a marketplace, trying to survive the harshness of reality.


	6. The Beginning of the End

Savannah's tender heart, tenseness, and confusion. Is she reading too much into her relationship with Aladdin? Is her realist mind allowing fantasy to take a seat in the driver's side?

* * *

Chapter Six- Do you Tremble at the Beginning or the End?

She couldn't lose the memory of that kiss, the scent of his skin, or the taste of his lips. That night seemed to prove to her that magic did indeed exist, that there had been hope somewhere in the world and on that particular night, it descended and crowned her with wondrous bliss.

Savannah felt like the wealthiest woman alive. With the way she felt, no woman could top her with all the jewels and gold that they possessed. She often would question to herself what that feeling was, and why she felt it so strongly. She wondered if this was considered a taboo to the street rats of her generation, or any generation for that matter, what they called this glorious feeling, this love driven state of mind.

If it were, it surely was budding deep within her where no one could reach, like the many secrets of her heart, secured under lock and key. Savannah wandered the bustling streets of the marketplace, looking at her disheveled appearance in a glass plate being displayed and combed her tangled hair with her fingers, doing the best that she could with it until the kiosk vendor shooed her away, claiming she was bad for business, something like a black cat. She gave the vendor a look and walked on, startled by the sudden face hanging upside down from a fisherman's awning.

He grinned at her, she rolled her eyes.

"You are an idiot," she stifled a laugh through her statement.

"Yes, but," he started, climbing down once another vendor began to holler and create a bad mimic of Abu on a bad day. Once more, Savannah rolled her eyes and tugged him along, but not long before he spun her in his arms to him and presented her with a flower, a lily to be more specific. "I'm an idiot who's brought you a flower," he completed.

Savannah felt the heat bubble in her cheeks, color adorning her usual pale complexion. She accepted the flower and sampled its sweet aroma. "Mmm, well then, I guess your sweetness and thoughtfulness overrides your stupidity." The street urchin beamed.

"Thank Allah for that!" he teased, walking beside her, stopping her for a moment to tuck the blossom into her tangled locks, though he didn't seem to mind much. "There," he stated. "Looks good on you."

"Oh does it?" Savannah questioned nonchalantly, passing by a few kiosks, though scarcely glanced over at a polished pot, catching her reflection in it, taking a moment or so to fluff her hair up. For a moment, she felt like a real woman.

"Sav, you comin' or what?" He had granted her with the nickname "Sav" only for the sake that her name was so long, and this just made it that much easier for the urchin to call out to her when they were on the run. Savannah picked her eyes up from her reflection to look back at him, give a timid and nervous scratch at the back of her head and walked away, back to his side to move on home. Around this time the sun had just begun to set. The two took their time heading back.

"So, tell me, Aladdin, what do you see in the future?" Savannah began the conversation, just trying to stir up small talk to avoid nothingness. There was nothing worse than a walk home in silence. Aladdin thought long and hard about it, trying to pick the right words with her. He didn't want to offend her as he had the few months prior to their last conversation on the subject.

However, he smiled at her. "You know what I want, Sav," he said softly. "I want to take it easy for a change. Look at what we've been through. Do you really want that for the rest of your life?"

Savannah had to take a moment to respond. It was true what he was saying. They had been through enough; they deserved to take it easy. Just for once, they should stray from the sandy dunes and move onto the marble flooring. She knew, and she was aware. She just wouldn't accept it.

Aladdin took the silence as understanding and looked up at the darkening sky. The stars gleamed, covering the duo with a blanket of glistening wonder. "Imagine me? The Sultan," he chuckled lightly. "And you…"

Savannah perked her head up, "Yes?" Aladdin seemed to be in thought as far as her position went. She merely looked up at him with hopeful eyes, considering everything that had occurred between them, and the flower, things were looking up.

"You will be my most trusted adviser!" he announced, chuckling wholeheartedly. Savannah's hope faded and forced a weak smile. Okay, maybe he was just being a gentleman with flattery, or even just some flirt.

"O-oh? That's…some position," Savannah choked and replied. Aladdin took no notice to how she responded. He was too far gone in his dreams.

"Isn't it, though?" He asked, gleaming from ear to ear. "And I will have a princess at my side, and we will rule all of Agrabah!" he proclaimed. Back to his old hopes and dreams. His high hopes never diminished, and he wasn't afraid to show it; then again, he was getting carried away. "Just picture it! Servants and valets, cooks who will prepare only the finest meals! And then cleaners who will make the floors sparkle! It will be a new era for Agrabah, Savannah, you'll see!" He was getting worked up, and Savannah was upsetting herself. A dreamer was a dreamer after all, and a realist could only dream so much without seeing the true outlook to it. She dreamed of a whole new Agrabah alright, but nothing like he had cooking up.

"But, what about the city? The palace is fine and dandy, but, what about the city?" His excitement was simmering upon the tone in her voice. Uh-oh, he thought to himself. He had upset her again. Had he learned nothing?

He stepped in front of her and picked her chin up with his masculine fingers, picking her eyes up to meet his. "What do you think I mean what I say a new era?" He asked. "No one will go hungry again, and what do you think the Royal Adviser does, Sav? She will take care of all of my important royal things," he smiled, hoping this would make her feel better.

"Even though it should be you to go out and right these wrongs?" She questioned.

"I know it would mean a lot to you if you would," he quickly responded, keeping a steady grin to please her.

She didn't believe him, there was something that told her not to trust, although she still trusted nonetheless. Finally, she rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'm a royal whatever," she said, then flashed him a quick smile. Perhaps she had read too much into their closeness. She had begun to feel foolish of thinking they would be anything more than mere survival companions. Savannah looked up at Aladdin. She knew one thing; she didn't want to go back on the streets alone, not now that he was in her life.

"That's what I wanted to hear," he said, patting her shoulder before heading on back.

Normally, Savannah would have been startled by mere touch alone. Her heart still pounded, and color bathed her face. But just something about their conversation left her with a bad taste in her mouth. She couldn't pick out what it was, but she was sure she figured it out later. She watched him walk away, her hands down at her sides and a hopeless look plastered upon her face.

Now what?

* * *

Not too far from where the two hosted their conversation, trouble brewed elsewhere. _(Well, trouble would be exaggerating the situation. But, I'm sure one gets the idea.)_ She had managed to sneak out of her bedroom without notice. With a sigh of relief the young figure crept past a pond in the center of the yard which housed various fish for decoration. The sky seemed so tempting to her, freedom tugged at her soul, made her feel so alive, for just a brief ounce of pleasure.

She reached one of the trees that resided beside a wall, she thought to herself and started to climb the tree, feeling herself being pulled back, as though being told she couldn't have what she wanted. She glanced back behind her, believing she had been caught for a second. She had been, but by her one and true friend.

"I'm sorry, Rajah," she said as she tugged the cloth free from the feline's mouth, kneeling down to his level. "But I can't stay here and have my life lived for me," she whispered gently, hugging his soft fur to her, as though it may possibly be for the final time. Prince Achmed was the final snap for Jasmine. These spoiled princes that dared to enter her palace were no match for her wit. Any man that didn't appreciate her or her tiger was no fit for Jasmine.

After a moment of her silent goodbyes, she returned to her feet, stroking him gently before attempting to climb the tree, being assisted in this task, along with whines and whimpers, she managed to gain her footing and climb over the wall, keeping her balance to steal one last look upon that sad face. She herself frowned, allowing herself seconds of glum. Why couldn't she rule Agrabah without a man at her side? That stupid law, she growled to herself.

"Goodbye," she whispered, dropping down to the ground and ran for it towards the streets of Agrabah's marketplace. She wasn't sure where or how she was sleeping tonight, but she was sure she'd find a way. She would miss Rajah, but she knew this was for the best, she was certain of it. Rajah would be cared for, he would have anything a tiger could dream of. Content with this in her mind, she ran as far as her royal legs would carry her.

As much as it was a new beginning for this new female, to our beloved Savannah, this was just the beginning of the end.


	7. Princess Jasmine

Chapter 7- Princess Jasmine

She had found kind refuge in someone's home that evening and left before sunrise so they wouldn't find her still there to question her. It was an entirely new experience for the palace dweller, and at the moment, she hadn't even thought of being found by Razoul or any other the other guards that seemed more like her keepers. They followed her everywhere she went, there was no such thing as privacy, she didn't even know the meaning, especially what with the recent events lingering. It was all too much for the young woman, and she needed a sense of peace somewhere in between the folds of all the madness.

Shop keepers had just been opening, the smell of freshly baked goods floated in the air, which warmed the young woman's heart, and caused her stomach to mewl with hunger, however, she would worry about her hunger problems later. Excitement well up within her, there was a whole city she had yet to discover.

It was beginning to be an ordinary morning for the people of Agrabah. Housewives ventured the marketplace for their family's dinner, young men reeled the fish in, and street urchins sat up on canopy's and awnings, searching for breakfast. Aladdin and his companion Abu had been making an attempt to fool the shop keeper to gain their morning meal.

"Alright, Abu, you know what to do," Aladdin passed along to the monkey in a hushed tone while the vendor had been advertising his 'delectable' melons that even made Savannah giggle. The monkey saluted and down he went, his tail curling and latching onto something nearby, a pole perhaps as he came face to face with the vendor, distracting him from Aladdin, whose hands dropped, slipping his palms around a nice looking one before bringing it back up.

"Get away from that! Shoo!" The vendor was beginning to get frustrated with the animal.

Once Abu had caught a glimpse of his partner reaching their goal, he let the vendor take his melon back, tipped him his fez, and grinned, "Bye bye!" and up he went back to his good friend who cracked the melon in two. The little chimp feasting from his half. Aladdin let a smile slip.

Savannah was off elsewhere searching for breakfast, but wound up looking at jewels instead. Hey, she was buying her time preciously. There was no reason to rush into anything, unless she was begging to be caught. That's when you knew a street urchin was just asking for it; especially the inexperienced ones. Time was everything. You had to map it out just right.

"Would the pretty young like a pretty necklace? A pretty necklace for a young and beautiful woman like you," said the keeper, giving a nice, big, charming grin for the young woman he had been presenting it to.

Savannah had been quite flattered by his statement, "Oh, well, I-I couldn't," she felt her face flush; however, she soon learned she wasn't alone. The flush fell from her cheeks. The keeper wasn't talking to her; the man presenting the delicate jewels didn't even look in her direction. Instead, she heard another young woman.

"Oh, no, I couldn't, really…" She trailed off.

Well, that was embarrassing on the street urchin's end, no doubt. However, she further watched her where she would move to next. Since the new girl obviously showed no interest there.

She leaned over onto the counter and snickered as a fish was soon thrust into the newcomer's face, and meeting the booming voice of the fish merchant who was trying to sell them, claiming they were freshly caught and feeding any listening audience bits of information attempting to attract customers. She tried hard not to laugh, but could contain herself no longer. The look on her face was priceless. Which also earned a stern look from the jewel keeper, then of one in confusion, as though he had been trying to place her face from somewhere before in the past.

Savannah blinked. She had a feeling she was in trouble. She grinned sheepishly, and then slowly began to back away. She quickly moved to someplace more obscure where she wouldn't be so obvious to the naked eye, her eyes once more finding the fresh face of Agrabah once more.

The young woman bumped into a fire eater while trying to back away from the fish merchant. Obviously today was not going the way she planned. The man appeared to be choking on the flaming stick, Savannah moved to assist when she saw that he was eventually alright, sending out a large belch of fire before patting his stomach with satisfaction, both the newcomer and Savannah had a look of disgust. Even if Savannah had seen it at least once every morning.

"I'm really, very sorry!" she said apologetically, the fire breather held his hands up as though to tell her it was fine.

However, it seemed like it wasn't only Savannah who took sudden interest in this new comer. Someone else had their eye on the disguised princess, a certain young street rat. The startled young woman readjusted her hood, making sure to cover up the jeweled band she seemed to have neglected to take off. Although surprisingly, no one seemed to take notice that she stood out with the exception of one.

"Wow." He whispered this, letting the remainder of the melon fall out of his hands and onto the canopy. Abu arched a brow, scurrying onto his owner's shoulders and waving a hand in front of his eyes. The boy was mystified, enchanted. The monkey had seen this behavior once or twice before, heavily with that girl that seemed to never leave his side and now this new girl! When was the monkey ever going to get his friend back?

Lately, Aladdin had been having dreams. He was restless. And in each one there would be a young woman nestled into his arms, depending on him to protect her from sudden danger. She would look up at him with those big brown eyes of hers and that smile which melted his heart every time he saw it. But he could never put a face on the woman, until now that was. This young woman before him reminded him so of the woman in his dream. For a while he thought it may had even been Savannah, but no, those eyes.

He was so certain she was his dream girl.

And yet, just to be sure, he would watch her a little longer.

The young woman wandered further into the marketplace, passing more vendors who were trying to get her to buy their products and items, her eyes catching onto a child struggling to reach the apple on the stand.

"Oh, you must be hungry," she said sympathetically, smiling as she plucked the apple off of the stand and handed it to the child who smiled up at her, his tiny hands grasping onto it, his pleading eyes thanking her for her kindness. "There you go," she smiled, watching him nod and run off. The vendor quirked a brow at her.

"You'd better have money to pay for that." He made sure he was right to the point.

"Pay?" Never once had the girl had to pay for a meal. Then again, she was quite new to the real world. She was so strongly confused.

"Thief!"

Outraged, the owner believed she was trying to play mind games and make a fool of him, when neither was true. However, you couldn't trust a soul in this time and era. He grasped the young woman's wrist and pinned it down, for good measure, the arm landed with a thud, and the princess yelped in pain.

"The penalty for stealing. You remove my goods? I remove your hand." He wouldn't hear of her stammers, or her notions on getting money from the sultan. Now he knew for sure she was lying. No one he knew was able to get money from the man who took money.

"No, no, please!" she pleaded. With all her might she pleaded for an opportunity to pay this man back by her father. She was in complete distress as he wouldn't listen to her. Everyone listened to her, so, why was this man any different?

Aladdin's eyes widened and quickly he hurried down from the canopy, allowing his legs to carry him as fast as they could, grasping the owner's wrist just before he had the opportunity to amputate the wrist of the poor, confused girl.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you," he said, eyeing the girl carefully.

"What are you doing?" The girl inquired, startled and scared. Her chest heaved, but, if this man was going to save her, she was willing to try anything.

"Just play along," he quietly responded.

The owner of the stand looked the two of them over. "You, know this girl?" He glanced between the two suspiciously.

Aladdin had been about to respond, when none other than Savannah sauntered over out from the shadows where she had been watching the entire scene. Aladdin perked a brow before he received a slap. It was all just the beginning of her plan; she'd pick it up where he left off. So, technically, wouldn't it still be his plan? Ah well, his plan, her plan, it was a plan!

"You were supposed to be watching her," she said, playing off her frustration in deep tones of aggravation. "I can't believe you would just let her walk off like that!"

Aladdin rubbed where she had hit him, giving a light glare. "I turned my back for a second!" Now, he was just getting defensive. Savannah merely rolled her eyes.

"Right, right, and what if we were to have any children? I can't do a thing with you!"

The owner of the stand continued to eye the trio, Aladdin made circles with his index finger to his temple to indicate they were both crazy, in which both women took offense.

"My apologizes for my sister-in-law, good sir," Savannah said apologetically. "As you can see, she is very ill."

Aladdin murmured up against the other, "What did I tell you? They're both loony."

However, the owner of the lost apple didn't find it so funny. He grasped Aladdin by his vest and yanked him up to his eye level. "She said she knew the sultan!" he exclaimed. Aladdin eyed the perimeter carefully before landing on Abu, he grinned.

"She thinks the monkey is the sultan," he said, gesturing over to the grinning monkey who quickly withdrew his hands from an unsuspecting commoner's pocket. The princess, who had been standing there quite confused, finally played along, dropping down to her knees, she mimicked a commoner.

"Oh wise sultan! How may I serve you? Oh, wise sultan, I am ever loyal to you! Oh wise sultan-"

Savannah's face contorted once more before her eyes turned up to the vendor. "Please, I wouldn't worry yourself with a woman who mistakes a primate for a ruler."

Abu, still grinning now, spoke in his monkey tongue, patting her head afterwards. Aladdin took this time to pluck an apple from the cart with his foot, Savannah watching carefully. He then presented the cart owner with the piece of fruit to "replace" the one she had given away.

"Tragic, isn't it?" He then straightened himself out, slowly settling himself from the angered man's grasp. "But, no harm has been done. Come my lovely wife, it's time to take our beloved sister to the doctor," he said, quickly stepping away completely and over to the unrecognized princess, picking her up and began to lead her off. "Come along, sister, it's time to see the doctor."

The princess moved over to the nearest thing she could find, which had been a camel. "Well hello doctor, how are you today?" She tilted her head with an ill stare about her, decorated with a smile.

"No, no, sis, not that one," Aladdin chuckled. "Come along, sultan," he said to the monkey whose vest was now bulging, he bowed, still speaking in his monkey tongue. Savannah began to move away, gathering prediction that chaos was about to erupt. And then she saw all of the treasures the monkey had worked so hard to collect had fallen out, spilling onto the dirt road.

The obese man's eyes widened. "What-what?! Come back here you thieves!"

She just had to think that way? "Run!" Savannah shouted, making a break for it while Aladdin took hold of the other woman's hand and led her out of the scene, Abu hurrying behind them while the shouts of the vendor clung through the afternoon.

When they were far enough, Savannah glanced at the two, with hands on her knees, she panted. "How stupid could you have been!?" She shouted. "You could have gotten us killed!"

"But it worked, didn't it?" Aladdin asked, brushing himself off while caring for the other woman. "Besides, stop shouting. You're scaring her."

Savannah could already feel her eye twitching. "I don't care who I'm scaring! I'd rather be scared than dead!" She smacked him in the back of the head. "And that was for calling me crazy!"

Aladdin rolled his eyes, glancing at the other woman beside him, thinking it was best to ignore the other considering her irritated state. "Are you alright?" He asked. She gave him a nod, and then he smiled. "Good. We should probably head back home now. You can come with until you get yourself straightened out," he continued, unable to let his smile loose. This girl had him enamored.

Then her lips upturned delicately, and from the corner of her eye, Savannah caught a look to Aladdin she had never seen before. Lucky for her, she didn't see the smile earlier; otherwise it would have just broken all of her ideas, as well as her heart.

* * *

"Ah…sands of time reveal to me the one who can enter the cave," a voice said from behind a crystal ball to reveal the image of Aladdin assisting the cloaked princess climbing a ladder, followed by the street mouse that had the monkey on her shoulder.

"Yes! Yes!" He exclaimed triumphantly. "There he is! My diamond in the rough!" Hissed the voice that belonged to the sorcerer while he grinned behind the crystal ball, cackling. This plan had been unraveling much better than he had ever imagined.


	8. When Everything Unfolds

Chapter Eight- When Everything Unfolds

"So, this must be your first time in the marketplace, isn't it?" Aladdin inquired when they were safe and away from the palace guards. Jasmine gave a mental sigh of relief. She didn't need Razoul or the others to discover her just yet; she hoped it would never come.

Savannah stared at her while she climbed up the building, only to fall into his arms while she tripped on that last step. The two gazed at one another; both in confusion, both could feel their hearts pounding while Aladdin's grip tightened on her. Savannah slipped past the two, moving to find a pole to use to vault over to the next building. She still couldn't watch them.

"Is it that obvious?" Jasmine asked the other, referring to his previous question that she had just realized then that she hadn't answered.

"You do kind of stand out," he blushed a little, moving back a bit from her, but then cleared his throat when Savannah tossed him over a pole that nearly struck him in the face.

Jasmine looked at the two cautiously, noticing the way he looked at her. "So, you two are married?" She inquired.

Lucky for him he was quick on his bare toes. He used the pole, jumping over to the next building, he turned his back to the two women for a second, grabbing a plank for the new girl to use.

"Her and I? Oh, no, no. That's just a routine we use to get the guards off our back. We're not married."

Jasmine gave a slight smirk to herself while she thought the gesture was simple and cute; she wasn't going to say aloud she didn't need it. She grabbed a pole from the side and positioned it while the other was busy.

"What a clever idea," Jasmine hummed, digging the pole into the ground. Aladdin appeared to have changed the subject, looking to impress the girl with his skills and warnings.

"You just don't know how dangerous Agrabah can be," Aladdin commented in a supposedly manly voice that Savannah just rolled her eyes at. She glanced for a pole for herself, only to find Jasmine in the process of jumping over the building.

"Hey, wait!" she called out, but already found her safely on the other side of the building. He stared in pure surprise, he and Abu both.

"I'm a fast learner," she smiled, tossing the pole to Aladdin before moving towards the end of the building, Savannah still teetered behind.

The other street mouse sighed a bit and found a slightly shorter pole, but thought it would do. She positioned it as Jasmine had done moments ago and moved to jump, although with a dose of misfortune, she missed a step and nearly fell from the building while she caught onto the edge she had been aiming for. She pulled herself up; her eyes witnessing the other two forms walk away. She blew her hair from her eyes and groaned a bit as she tried to pick herself up, raising her leg, she used it like a grappling hook and rolled over onto the top of the building, discovering the two of them gone.

When she eventually caught up with the duo, Aladdin had been protecting the new female's head from the beams and poles that were rotting away. He brought her up to the very top just as he had shown her months ago.

"Is this where you live?" Jasmine was the one to inquire this time. Aladdin offered her a smile.

"Yep, just me and Abu, come and go as we please." Savannah's eyes widened a bit, clearing her throat purposely for a little attention. "Oh, right, Savannah, too," he laughed nervously, suddenly feeling like a husband that had just gotten himself into a fist full of trouble.

"Sounds fabulous," Jasmine said awe stricken while she hurried up further with the male who had both her hand and now her heart.

"It's not much," he added, letting her take a seat before moving the tattered and moth eaten curtain back to reveal that same amazing view of the palace that Savannah had grown to hate. "But it has a great view," he promised, noticing the sudden drop in her face, the glow that was once there was no more.

"Oh, sure, it's wonderful," she commented. Savannah leaned against the wall, raising a brow. Perhaps she possessed the same views as her? Could it be? Maybe she wasn't all that bad.

"You know, I always wondered what it would be like to live there," Aladdin said, hoping she wouldn't get the wrong idea, maybe, if he impregnated her head with a dream that she would suddenly have that glow again; that glow that made him blush. "Have some servants, valets…"

Unfortunately for Aladdin, this new woman wasn't biting.

"Oh sure, people telling you where to go, where to stand, what to do, where to do it, how to dress, how to talk…" She sounded absolutely miserable, which on some level delighted Savannah.

"Ah, but it must be better than spending your life here. Always scraping for food, ducking the guards, Savannah knows, don't you?" The other female nodded.

"They balance each other out, though," Savannah commented. "That's why the system is the way it is. You have your pros and cons. The system thrives on a balance of rich and poor. Unfortunately, we fall on the poorer end of the scale. We've been cheated of an actual life."

"Sure there's luxury and riches," Jasmine added. "But you're not free to make your own choices. You're always bottled up inside, locked away in some room…"

Aladdin took it as though she were talking about the life in general, how she must picture it. But he could relate. Being a street rat was the same token just the other side of it.

"But, sometimes you feel so…" he couldn't find the word.

"You're just so…" she couldn't find the word, either.

But sure enough, they found it, and in unison, they said, "Trapped."

Only two people who knew they're meant for one another claim the same feeling and say it the same exact moment they think it. Savannah cleared her throat once more, this time, on her own without any meaning behind it and turned her back to the two, staring out at the sky, ignoring the glimmer and glitz of the palace. Confusion overrode her, feeling this sickly feeling bubbling up in the pit of her stomach and she didn't like it a bit.

"So where are you from?" Aladdin asked taking an apple Abu had in his hands; the poor little monkey had just gone in to take a bite, too, only to open his eyes to find the red fruit gone.

"What does it matter?" Jasmine responded. "I ran away and there is nothing anyone can say or do that could make me go back."

"Really?" Aladdin asked, curious now what made this girl run away, he was sure she had a family waiting for her right at that moment that probably missed her, too.

"My father is forcing me to get married," she replied, biting her lip softly, disgusted at the words, the mere thought of being married to someone she didn't love. Savannah couldn't help but feel a little sympathy and a dash of compassion towards the girl. That was a good enough reason to run away.

Aladdin handed the apple back to Abu after he had taken a bite from it. "That's awful," he replied.

"You don't have to worry about a thing," Savannah said encouragingly, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. Keep positive, she reminded herself. "You don't have to worry about any arranged marriages so long as you're here." The newcomer placed her hand upon Savannah's, nodding. It was a comfort knowing.

While the one comforted the other, Abu had plans of his own, eyeing the fresh, uneaten apple in the new girl's hand. Aladdin caught him trying to reach for it.

"Abu!" Aladdin shouted, shooing the animal away, only to receive monkey speech in response.

"What's wrong with him?" Savannah asked.

Aladdin quickly cooked something up in his head. "Abu says that's not fair and he wants to know if there's anything he can do to help?"

Jasmine smiled, finding it very sweet and thoughtful. "Oh really?" She glanced up at the monkey who just exploded with confusion, now perched on Savannah's shoulder who had been peeling her own apple, giving a shaven slice to the monkey. "Tell him that's very…" she moved in closer to the other. "Sweet…"

Aladdin would seize the opportunity, doing what his manly genes told him to do. There was no one else in the room but the two of them. They understood one another. He remembered long ago, his mother taught him about true love and how she met his father. Love was a force that possessed you, made you do crazy and uncontrollable things. Such crazy and uncontrollable things possessed him now. He leaned in, finding the girl hadn't been objecting him either. That was...until…

"There you are!" Razoul and his group of guards stood there, proud at finding what they had been searching for. The trio quickly stood.

"They've found me?!" The trio looked at one another.

"They're after you?!"

"Ohh, father must've sent them," Jasmine moaned, moving back towards the gaping hole in the wall. Aladdin quickly looked behind him, another brilliant idea coming to him, reiterating what had been said before about him being quick on his toes.

"Do you trust me?" He asked, offering her his hand. Savannah knew she had heard those words before.

Jasmine, at the moment had no choice as she took his hand, feeling the weight lifting as she fell and landed onto a pile of salt, Savannah falling right on top of Aladdin, the male gave an 'oof' in response.

"Looks like we keep running into one another, don't we, street rat?" Razoul smirked in triumph as he tossed Savannah off of Aladdin, grasping the male by his vest.

"Let him go!" Jasmine ordered, however, Razoul did not recognize her in the least.

"Well, look and what we have here men, another street mouse!" he and the men had themselves a hearty chuckle. He threw her down not too far from Savannah. Jasmine helped the other up before yanking off the hood from her robe, revealing the blue gem tiara. Desperate times called for drastic measures. As much as she didn't want to reveal herself, if it saved those who saved her, she had little choice.

"Unhand him, by order of the princess!"

That shifted the entire mood. The laughter ended, and bows fell all around her, aside from Aladdin and Savannah. Aladdin who had been forced to bow by Razoul and Savannah who had been wrestled down by another guard.

"The princess…?" Aladdin had been both dazed and confused. That vision, that dream girl, was the princess?

"The princess?" Savannah looked down. She didn't need anyone to make her bow. All this trouble; all because of the princess. They wouldn't have found them if she wasn't there.

"What are you doing outside of the palace?" Razoul inquired. "And with this common trash no less?"

"That is none of your concern. Unhand them now. Do as I command." If there was any time to throw around her power it was now.

"As much as I would love to princess, my orders are from Jafar. You'll have to take it up with him." It truly was out of Razoul's hands. He was all muscle with no real power.

Jasmine, now fuming, crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh believe me I will."

* * *

Now inside the palace, safe and sound, much to her displeasure, Jasmine walk throughout the palace searching for the man responsible for all of this. "Jafar!" she shouted when she saw him.

The tall lanky man, covered in garbs of maroon and black bowed as he opened up his cape. "My princess, how many I be of service to you?"

"The guards just took a boy and a girl from the marketplace," she began, then glared. "On your orders."

"Your father kept me in charge of keeping peace in Agrabah, the two were criminals."

"And what was their crime?" she questioned, placing her hands upon her hips, fingers biting through her pants. She felt the biting sensation in her flesh, it distracted her from shedding angered tears.

"Why, kidnapping the princess, of course," Jafar responded, giving her a smile to satisfy her, but the princess was hard to please.

"They didn't kidnap me, I ran away! What possessed you to think I was kidnapped?"

"Oh dear, how frightfully upsetting." He caught the look upon her face, no different reaction yet. "Had I but known."

"What do you mean?" He then went onto explaining to her how his sentence had already been carried out and there was nothing more he could do.

"What sentence?" She was almost afraid to ask.

"Death," Jafar replied, her eyes widened. There, that was the response he was hoping to find. He had dug into her long enough. "By beheading."

She collapsed onto an ottoman, lost and dumbfounded. But why? If only they had questioned her first. If only they consulted her first, this could have been avoided and the two would have been safe.

"I am exceedingly sorry princess." Jafar walked over to her, placing his long, seemingly decrepit fingers upon her shoulders, she yanked herself from his hold, glaring once more.

"How could you!?" Her voice had been hushed, choking back tears as her mind wandered further and further to the boy that had made her feel so strangely, but her tone was sure to bite into the vizier. No longer could she fight back her tears and restrain her emotions. She released herself from the environment and the scene, fleeing to tell her father of the horrid things Jafar had provoked. But only one thing really upset her more than anything: she didn't even know his name.


	9. To the Depths of the Dungeon

Chapter Nine- To the Depths of the Dungeon

While the newly discovered princess cried in her tower above, the two street rats simmered beneath, chained up to the stone wall in the darkest depths of the dungeon to ensure they would be forgotten about, left to rot, and ultimately starve to death. The young male, the one called Aladdin, had been having a conversation with himself, mostly in shock from his recent findings. He learned something new every day and today he learned he was attracted to the Princess of Agrabah herself. The young woman who had won over his heart was none other than the princess of Agrabah herself! He reeled in shock. How could he have been so ignorant!?

"I can't believe it. She was the princess." A sigh seeped out from his desperate lips. "I must have looked so stupid to her!"

A body groaned in response to reveal it to be none other than Savannah herself, chained up beside her male companion, but the guards were sure they kept their distance. She was quiet and reserved, more than likely trying to think of what to say to him. He almost kissed another woman right in front of her; he fell for that same woman. She couldn't help but question what that other woman had that she didn't?

"Sav?"

She picked her head up; she'd drive back to that question later. Right now it wasn't of any major importance.

"Yeah?" She replied. The exhaustion reverberated in her voice, raspy and weary. She cleared it. Aladdin gave a slight wince, if one could consider the slight flinch one.

"Are you alright?"

How was she to respond to that? _'No, I'm not alright, you almost kissed some other girl in front of me, it bothers me, and you're acting like a total asshole?'_ …Nah. Well, she could, but she chose not to. It wasn't worth it to sound jealous and petty.

"I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine." Now it was her turn to wince. The thick shackles were cutting into her wrists. They hurt. It was a raw and unpleasant feeling as they chafed, her skin would break if she struggled with them any further.

"Don't move so much," he instructed. "Just take it easy, relax. It won't hurt as much." He had gotten into tight spots before, mostly as a child, so, he knew quite well. That was back then with rope and twine. When he looked into her eyes and watched her, he somehow felt her pain. He almost kissed another woman, and saw through her, he noticed the pained look in her eyes and yet his mind and body were compelled to that other woman. He felt he needed comfort from another, and that other was not Savannah. He really was a jerk.

Savannah took his advice and ceased her movements, leaning against the wall still. Well, at least she was sitting and wasn't anything like the skeleton across from her whose shackled were up high on the wall. The skeleton made her eyes widen. The one thing she never admitted to anyone was that she was afraid of death, and now she was staring it in the face.

"It's okay," Aladdin assured her. "He's not going to move." He didn't need for her to say anything, that look of astonished horror said it all. She still said nothing and merely stared.

It was going to be a while for them, he assumed, he would have to try to talk the other out of being so frightened. Even he had to admit that skeleton was creepy and was sure throughout the dungeon there were several more and more than likely decomposing bodies. But he didn't want to think about that. His main concern was snapping the female beside him out of her fearful trance.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the shadow of a small body shimmying down the bricks in the dungeon lair. Savannah took no notice. Instead, Aladdin picked his head up further, wondering, but as he caught a better look, he had a better idea of who it could be.

"Abu!" He said happily in much relief. The monkey chattered in response, stopping at his master's feet, dangling a set of keys in hand.

"C'mon, Abu," Aladdin tried to compromise with the other; however, the money wasn't buying it. Instead, he teased his master with the keys, taking on the appearance of that slender, tantalizing princess from earlier, trying to tell him that he screwed him over for a woman. Just as he did with Savannah the first time they met.

"Oh, c'mon, she was in trouble," Aladdin tried to get his partner in crime to understand. The monkey still didn't take the bait. "But don't worry; I'll never see her again. She's a princess, and she's got to marry a prince." He took a moment to himself and whispered, "She deserves a prince."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Abu muttered, moving up onto his owner's shoulders and undid the lock, then moved onto the female beside him who still kept that cold, horrified expression. When her lock was undone, Aladdin moved over to her, taking caution in his steps before pulling the other into his arms, blocking her view of the frightful bones. He could feel her fingers biting into his vest, clinging to him tightly.

He stared at the trembling body in his arms, tightening his grip around her, attempting to comfort her. For a moment, he had a sudden realization of the world around him, of Savannah, of Jasmine, everyone and everything. "I was such a fool," he murmured gently.

"You're only a fool if you give up, boy."

It seemed they weren't alone. Aladdin looked up from his trembling companion to the owner of the voice, only to find the skeleton had been blocked. Instead a limping elderly man was in front of the trio.

"Who are you?" Aladdin asked, his hands coaxing Savannah's back. The young woman, once hearing the other voice, slowly looked up and began to sit up on her own. She refused to move from the others arms.

"Just a lowly prisoner, just like you," he said, glancing from one to the other. "But perhaps we can be more than just prisoners."

"I'm listening." Aladdin was tempted to hear what this man had to say. The old man seemed quite pleased.

"There is a cave, boy, a cave of wonders! Filled with treasures beyond your wildest dreams, and perhaps even beyond that." The more Savannah listened, the further something didn't sit right.

"Why would you share such information with us?" She inquired, sitting up completely to stare this elderly man in the face. "Wouldn't you keep something like that to yourself?" Even Aladdin had to agree that there was something odd about this offer.

"I need a pair of strong legs and a strong back to go in after it." The old man was clever with his responses, chosen carefully to tempt and persuade. "You, my dear, should stay here. I did say strong legs and strong back."

"I can pull my weight," Savannah argued. No one was going to tell her she wasn't strong enough.

The old man was at a loss. She wasn't the diamond in the rough, she couldn't go in. The cave would never admit her access. On the other hand, she would die and there would be one less to worry about. Jafar had options.

"And how do we know this cave exists?" The female just had questions all around that evening.

She wanted proof? Fine, he'd show her proof. He reached into his tattered and molded robes, plucking out red gems, flashing them to the two, making them smell and taste the treasure. He was sure he had them hooked now.

"Even enough treasure to impress your princess, I'm sure." Now he knew he at least had the boy. The girl still didn't seem convinced, not fully.

"There's one problem," Aladdin said. Savannah was sure, from the looks on his face earlier, that he realized the cold truth that he was out of the princess's league. "It's out there, we're in here." Her face dropped. He was hooked and snagged like an ignorant fish.

The elder man's lips curled into a smile, taking the cane he had been leaning against, he counted bricks on the wall before pushing it out, hearing it fall onto the sand below, that one brick must have triggered something as a few other bricks fell after that, creating a hidden passage way out, beams of moonlight poured into the dungeon more so than the bars had provided.

"Savannah, are you sure you want to come?" Aladdin asked. He gave some thought into this. It seemed like a dangerous trip to take, because he even knew you don't get something for nothing.

"I won't leave you," she said, looking up at him. She was headstrong; the two of them knew and knew it well. "I can't, and I don't want to."

The male sighed gently. "It might be dangerous. I don't want you getting hurt."

"It's me," she smiled in response. "You know me. I always bounce back."

He shook his head, but then smiled. There just was no stopping her. "Fine," he said, letting her out of the dungeon first, Abu following second, the old man, then him.

"First, we need a camel," the elder man said. "This trip will be a long one."

They walked off into the citadel. They'd have to steal one for no one was up at this hour of the evening. Aladdin helped Savannah from the top of a wall as she jumped and landed into his arms, voices could be hears in the background. They paid no mind to it and ventured off forward to find their camel.

The owner was asleep, just as they assumed. Abu slipped into the open stable and pointed out towards a healthy one, Savannah slipping through next to unlatch it and would leave for Aladdin to take it. Together, it worked out without the owner waking from his pleasant sleep. Again, they heard the shouts of fighting.

"In you go!" It was the voice of Razoul, and the aches and groans of an elder man as he had been shoved onto his knees. Savannah stared curiously after they rounded the corner, the old man with them sighed. He didn't have time for this. Yet you couldn't pull the bunch of teenagers now.

After the elder man was on his knees, Savannah remembered him as the man she saw a while prior to this evening, the man she met in the marketplace that day who had his opinion on the sultan and thought the princess would serve Agrabah well, the same man she and Aladdin saved and rescued on top of the balcony when the couple wasn't home.

"What's going to happen to him?" She looked up at Aladdin for the answer, but by the look on his face, he either knew and wasn't saying anything, or he was just as confused as she was. Aladdin remained silent.

"Savannah, maybe you shouldn't look…" his arms were around her waist at this point, ready to snag her away from the scene if what he thought was going to happen was going to take place.

They lowered the elder man's head onto a box of sorts, Razoul removing his sword from its sheath. "You stole from the royal garden, and a number of proprietors caught you stealing from their carts. How do you plead?"

The man said nothing.

"How do you plead!?" Razoul demanded his answer. He raised his sword, but found he couldn't do it, which brought on relief to Savannah and Aladdin, but just when they thought there was hope and a few extra years on that man's life, Savannah watched Razoul test the blade and found it wasn't sharp enough to do the job that it needed to do. Another guard handed Razoul a freshly cut blade. Smiling with satisfaction, Razoul took the blade and raised it over his head, the man's eyes clenched tightly, then they relaxed, which showed to the teenagers that he wasn't afraid of death, and even though he couldn't seem them at that moment, that they shouldn't be afraid, either.

Razoul then brought it down and the sound of him completing his mission could be heard throughout Agrabah. The others cleaned up the mess so there wasn't question or disgust in the morning.

Savannah, once more, stared in horror, this time, felt the tears sting in her eyes. Aladdin quickly turned her, wouldn't allow her to watch the clean up while he held the other so tight in his arms. Her face was buried in his chest and her eyes once more released streams that had no intention of ceasing. She wasn't sure what to feel, or how to react at that moment. It was just all too much to take in; it made her hate the royals and the stupid caste system all the more.

Aladdin swallowed hard. It was hard for the both of them. How could they kill like that? So easily? He had a feeling they wrongly accused him, and that burned him. It made him realize how important a human life was. When you're on the streets, you don't take much into consideration. Just stay alive and don't get caught, plan, and always learn.

But now that he saw it, in a way, he felt more like a man for despising it. In a way, Aladdin grew up a little on the inside. When he became sultan, things would change and maybe even in the change Savannah had wanted. Now he was beginning to understand what she meant. They connected a little on the inside.

"Why did it have to happen?" So the man was one of them… the man had hopes that his future may have been saved by the Sultan, or the princess. He never knew it would be the law that ended his life.

Aladdin refused to let the other go. "Don't be afraid," he assured her nonetheless. "Don't let this break your spirit. You're stronger than this, Savannah." This was the second time he saw her cry, the second time she let her guard down in front of him. Yet Aladdin had shed a tear or two, even though he kept telling himself he was strong, that he hadn't cried since his mother had passed away. Alas, there was always an exception for breaking even the longest vows.

Why did this have to happen to an innocent!? Poverty always suffered, were constantly punished. Why did it have to occur for the sake of others feeling empowered? There was no reason. None that Aladdin nor Savannah could see.

Still, there was no answer and he knew there would never be an answer. He knew Savannah also knew. The old man was growing impatient. Aladdin turned, cleared his own throat. With the back of his hand, he wiped the stray tears, and saw the irritated look upon his face and walked over with Savannah, placing her onto the camel; he wasn't going to make her walk. He helped the elder man up as well and ventured out into the desert, feeling the sands whip him the further he walked.

And indeed it was a long journey, but he would see that it was well worth the exhausting trip as they neared the end. Now that he saw the impressive tiger head before him, the one who would pass judgment upon the street urchin.

"Who disturbs my slumber!?"


	10. The Cave

Chapter Ten- The Cave

The sand built feline head was intimidating to say the least. The trio of humans, plus one primate stood there, cowering as its eyes glowed menacingly in inquiry. Savannah held onto Aladdin's hand tightly with no intention of letting go. Aladdin, on the other hand, clutched Savannah to him to protect her from such a creature. The stray sand that whipped with the wind stung their skin, however, ignored it as the growling head inquired of whom had disturbed its slumber. Aladdin looked down at Savannah and gave her a reassuring smile as he approached the head, clearing his throat.

"It is I, Aladdin." What would come next, he wondered; thunder booming in the distance. The Cave of Wonders sized him up with a perk of its eye, judging whether he was worthy or not, ignoring the cowering monkey hiding in his vest. The Cave proceeded to pass judgment on Aladdin, considering him worthy, the sought after "Diamond in the Rough."

"Proceed," it accessed. "Touch nothing but the lamp." The Cave warned Aladdin before resuming its rigid stance, mouth agape and its tongue transforming into a staircase, which descended to where Aladdin desired to be.

Savannah stared on, unsure of whether to allow Aladdin to go by himself or not. To hell with that, there was no chance she would leave Aladdin all on his own. She moved past the elderly man and stood by Aladdin's side. The elder man shook his head.

"Only one may enter! The girl will stay with me-" Savannah interrupted with a series of protests, getting in the elder man's face before he pushed her back like she was paper. "The girl stays here, otherwise you both die. And remember boy, first bring me the lamp! Then, I will give you your reward. A promise is a promise, after all." There was something sinister in the way he presented the promise of a reward. It made Savannah all the more unsure of whether to trust what he said about The Cave only admitting one. But, she couldn't chance Aladdin getting hurt because she refused to listen.

Before entering The Cave, Aladdin approached Savannah and took her hands into his own. He stared into those eyes, realizing then how much he had hurt her. This woman looked at him with adoration and something else he couldn't place; but overriding that, he saw the pain she was so desperately trying to conceal. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have let a princess make him lose track of what he had in front of him? Hormones were a funny thing. When he returned, they were going to have a talk about this, he vowed, even if to no one but himself.

"Hey, look at me..." He tilted Savannah's chin to force her to look up at him when she tried to look away. "I'll be back before you know it. And after that, you and I are going to have a talk, I promise. There's something we should discuss, about before."

Savannah shook her head; she had such a feeling of unease over this whole Cave of Wonders business. Call it women's intuition, if you will. "Just come back to me, Aladdin." And to make sure he knew what he'd miss if he didn't, she pulled him in, placing her lips upon his own in a sweet, but tender lock of lips. This caused Aladdin to grip onto her shoulders in pleasant surprise, upon feeling him return it, she sighed. The princess didn't matter then, call her a forgiving soul, but there would be time to sort out this mess when he returned. This was no goodbye. When they parted from the kiss, she turned him around to start his way inside with Abu. Aladdin was unsure what hit him, feeling his mind and his heart scatter in all different directions. He turned back to face her for a final time before entering the cave.

"I promise." And with that, he ventured within, descending down the narrow, winding staircase. He took a deep breath and focused on his mission, attempting to ease his partner who cowered still, trembling on his back. Aladdin shook his head, allowing his eyes to adjust to the lighting within. He was unable to comprehend how such a wonder could exist in the desolate sands near Agrabah. Lower he descended, finally reaching the end where he entered a hall of gold, rubies and other goods he could have only dreamed about.

"Abu! Look at all this," Aladdin said excitedly in a hushed voice, afraid the cave may hear him if he spoke too loudly. "A handful of this gold would make me richer than the Sultan himself...I can see Sav dripping in these rubies," he chuckled to himself. "How 'bout that?" Abu rolled his eyes and tumbled off Aladdin's shoulder, exploring the inner workings of the cave, staying on the created paths that were between heavy mounds of gold. He was warned not once, but twice by Aladdin to not touch anything and Abu was on his best behavior, for now. Temptation had yet to sink in.

Outside, Savannah eagerly awaited Aladdin's return, her arms crossed. The elder man seemed more anxious than her and she only wondered why. What was so special about some lamp, anyway? When she tried talking, or asking about it, the elder man ignored her. She distracted herself on something else. For the first time, in what seemed like ages, Savannah prayed to Allah for his safe return, putting all of her heart into this wish. She dropped to her knees and looked up into the heavens, asking her mother and the father she had never known to watch out for him.

"Can't you see by now what he means to me?" She asked before the elder man told her to hush. She returned with a glare and felt her patience waning thin. Remaining on her knees, she returned her gaze to the opening. "Come on, Aladdin..."

The light from the gold ended and darkness simmered in. Aladdin had gained a new alliance with The Cave's Carpet. The animated tapestry was showing Aladdin the way and he couldn't have been more grateful, anticipating to see more. This was part of the adventure he had been waiting for and he couldn't help but bite his bottom lip with anticipation. He looked up at yet another narrow staircase that was supposed to be his next challenge before finding the prize bathed in moonlight at the top. Once more, he warned his partner to not sink his greedy little paws into anything before he ascended the stairs, feeling the burn in his thighs set in. His heart began to pound and his palms began to sweat, reaching the top to the platform that held what looked like a slightly rusty lamp. This was what all the excitement was over? What the old man was paying him gold and rubies for? Aladdin shrugged his shoulders and gently picked it up, handling it with such care, like an infant.

"This? Really? This is it? This is what we came all the way down to-" He turned around to prattle on with Abu before his face fell and his eyes widened. "Abu! No!" The monkey had already plucked the large ruby from the structure it had been sitting upon. The area began to vibrate, rocks cascading from the ceiling of the cave before a large growl sounded from The Cave itself.

"INFADELS!" Abu attempted to put the gem back, only to find the structure melting, the temperature rising as Aladdin looked at his surroundings in horror. "You have touched the forbidden treasure! Now you will never again see the light! Of! Day!" The cave growled emphasis on those final words, the platform that held the lamp erupted in flames before Aladdin, causing him to jump back; the ceiling began to rain heavily with stones and large chunks from above, informing Aladdin that the belly of the cave was collapsing and advising him to make haste in his leave.

Savannah heard these words and her eyes widened, "Aladdin!" she called out, hopeful that he could hear her. But she was doubtful, prepared to go in after him to save him if she could, however, felt herself held back by the third member of their party. He was certainly strong for a man up there in age. Perhaps he worked out? "I have to go to him! Let me go!" She fought and was only held tighter.

Aladdin hopped onto the carpet and fought past the lava, fire and many boulders that crashed down from above. He was determined to get the treasure back to the old man, and more importantly, determined to have that talk with Savannah. All he could think about was holding Savannah and apologizing for being so ignorant to her and her feelings. He owed that to her. He urged the carpet forward, to move as fast as it could without crashing into any type of fixture. Eventually the carpet did crash; he clung to the stairs as Abu began to scramble up to an awaiting Savannah who was very much teary and all smiles for his return. She was absolutely relieved he came back. "Aladdin!" She broke free from their unwanted companion and reached down to help him up. Aladdin extended for her hand when Savannah was knocked back by the bald one. Aladdin called for her, only for the old beggar to step in front, obstructing his right to freedom. What concerned him more was that he was beginning to slip, and he was unsure for how much longer he could hold on.

"Give me the lamp!" The elder demanded.

"Savannah!" He called out. "I can't hold on!" He looked at the stranger. "Give me your hand!"

"First give me the lamp!" After numerous throwbacks of the same sort of pleas of assistance and demands for the lamp, Aladdin reached into his vest and pulled out the lamp, issuing the relic into his grimy hands. The elder peasant held up the lamp in triumph, dancing with glee and Savannah crawled over to attempt to help Aladdin up, he had a good grip of her hand and with his upper body strength, he was able to begin helping her help him out of the cave. He couldn't help but smile at her effort. The elder, however, watched the two.

"How touching," he said in a monotone voice. "I shall give you your reward. In fact, I'll issue you both a reward right now. Eternal rewards." He withdrew a dagger and Savannah felt herself pushed forward. She shrieked and caught onto Aladdin's ankle, clutching for dear life. They possibly only had minutes left before the cave collapsed on itself and now a stranger was to kill them over a piece of trash. She heard Aladdin call out to her to hold on and she clutched on for as long and hard as she could muster, not daring to look down. Aladdin found himself being picked up by the elder, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the blade. Savannah lost her grip as Aladdin was raised; crying out as she slipped fell into the abyss. Aladdin hollered back for Savannah, Abu crawled up the stranger's arm and sunk his teeth into the others bony arm, causing him to cry out, flinging Aladdin back to join his friend in her demise. So long as he had the lamp and those two were dead, business was taken care of.

Jafar watched the last remnants of the monster's life before ripping off his beard and disguise with sheer glee, searching for the lamp to bring his treasure home, only to find it missing from his persons and caused him to let out a longing cry of frustration. Those rotten little bastards stole from him. He'd kill that primate if he ever saw it again. Glancing at the puddle of flickering sand, they more than likely were dead and he'd never be able to carry out his revenge. Groaning, he stood and brushed himself off, little did he know that he would have much more on his plate come morning.


	11. A Genie is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Chapter Eleven- A Genie is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Slowly, the little monkey scurried from his place of rest to the masculine figure, who was sprawled out, unconscious on the ground. He remained still, despite the monkey's attempt to shake him awake. Abu shook him harder, with all of his might, whimpers and chatters desperate to wake the male. Aladdin slowly stirred and began to collect himself, blinking slowly as he began to refocus in the dark. How hard had he hit his head? He placed his hand to it as it throbbed and Aladdin winced. Not too far was a feminine figure; Aladdin realized it was Savannah. He crawled over to her and mimicked Abu's actions in shaking her awake.

"Sav," he began, "Hey, Sav..." He laid his hand upon her bare shoulder and gently rocked her, hoping to stir some kind of reaction. When she refused to wake, Al sat back and merely took her in, relieved when he saw her form rise and fall with each breath she took. At least she was still with him.

He was so unsure of things, still, his mind in an irrational state of confusion. Upon holding his hands up, he weighed both women in his hands. On one hand, there was Savannah. Sure, she was pretty, smart, funny, and she was his best friend. She was someone who held him at night when he was low, and he held her when she woke up from a nightmare. Savannah made sure he was fed, cared for him when he was sick and picked him up when he was down. That hand made him smile.

However, when he looked at the opposite hand, he saw the princess; this gorgeous woman who simply glowed. He knew her briefly, but Aladdin could see her being the type of woman to really care for him, to pick him up, being everything Savannah is and more. Unsure as he was, Aladdin could not help but be drawn to Jasmine. When he looked into Jasmine's eyes, that spark was just there.

Not that Savannah didn't have a spark. Savannah was the type of woman that would be that wife and mother someday. Aladdin often enough dreamed of having that family he never had; that family he always wanted. He vowed to himself that his children would never roam the streets, wondering where their father was, or why they couldn't have a father of their own. No, Aladdin was going to be that father, and more often than not, Aladdin envisioned Savannah being the mother that held their newborn to her breast to nourish. But, what kind of life would that be? Sure, he would be happy. He glanced to Savannah. Yes, he'd be very happy, but it would just be a repeat of his life now. Always scraping for food and ducking the guards. What kind of life would that be for his sons or daughters? It wouldn't. But with Jasmine, he could see that life, the wife and children, and not having to worry about food or shelter. As much as he hated to admit it, they would be taken care of. Not only that, Jasmine held this mystery that he wanted to explore. He wanted to get to know the woman who was locked up behind the cage. Aladdin wanted to save Jasmine.

Aladdin leaned his head back against the wall of the cave. He glanced back down at Savannah, watching her sleep before he reached over to shake her awake once more. She needed to wake soon, otherwise he would really fear for her slipping into something she'd never rouse from. He shuddered at the thought. "Sav, c'mon, wake up." When the female began to stir, he let out a sigh of relief and a warm smile crept upon his features.

"Easy now..." he eased her back into reality, helping her sit up and watched her look up at him with an almost helpless expression upon her face. She needed him to take care of her, and he would be happy to do it. He settled her up into a sitting position, held her back to his chest and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He never wanted to lose her, no matter what. He would fight to keep her in his life. "You alright?"

Wearily, she nodded and looked up and behind her, raising an arm, she reached up and draped it around his neck. "I'm just glad you're alright." She felt Aladdin's arms tighten around her. "And thank you, for coming back to me."

"I promised you I would," he whispered into her hair before watching her play with his fingers as she unwound one arm from her waist. "And there's another thing I promised you. Look, Sav, about Jasmine."

Savannah closed her eyes, afraid of what she was about to hear. She let out a deep breath that she had been holding in out and stared at the cave wall ahead. "What about her?"

"I'm sorry. You and I have something special, and I'm afraid I ruined that by bringing Jasmine into our lives. But, there's just something about her." Savannah closed her eyes tightly, the next intake of air, a sharp, tight breath as she waited for him to continue. "You're my best friend, I love you, and I don't want to ruin that. I don't want to lose you in my life. But, Jasmine..." By this time, Savannah turned around and pressed her index finger to his lips. She would hear no more.

"Aladdin, you won't ever lose me, do you understand? From the moment I smacked into you in the marketplace, you were kind of stuck with me," she laughed softly and watched a smile play upon his lips. "You mean so much to me, and I never want to lose that. All I want is for you to be happy." And if that meant pairing him with the princess for him to achieve his happily ever after, then so be it. Savannah was prepared for the heartache that would follow.

Savannah decided she wanted a new change of subject. She had a strong feeling this topic would come up for discussion again, and she would be better prepared for it. For now, she would indulge herself in being safe and secure in his arms, wanting to lengthen the lingering moments. She hadn't the slightest idea of how many she had remaining.

"So, what ever happened with that lamp? Did the old man manage to run away with it?" Aladdin was at a loss for words, as a matter of fact, he was unsure of what happened to the lamp.

"He tried killing us, Savannah. That two-faced son of a jackal got away thinking we died and trapped us in here. He probably has the-" He was interrupted by Abu's chattering as he presented the lamp from behind his hairy little back with a grin. Aladdin's lips curled into a smirk as he took the offered lamp.

"Why you hairy little thief, I trained you well," he chuckled before analyzing the relic that was in his hands. He turned it from side to side and looked beneath it for any inscriptions. Upon a closer look, he glanced up at Savannah who sat up across from him and lowered his eyes back down to his new prize. He perked a brow when he noticed an inscription that was barely legible and rubbed it with his hand.

"I don't get it. Why would he want a beat up piece of junk like this?" Savannah shrugged her shoulders. The moment her shoulders lowered, the lamp began to wiggle in Aladdin's hands. He clutched tightly to the cold brass as a cloud of blue smoke plumed, a stream of neon blue billowed out. Aladdin was amazed, wondering if he truly was unconscious because this was too surreal in all aspects. This could never happen back home.

A long, exaggerated yawn was given from the large form that was built before the teens, now who were huddled together as Aladdin wrapped his arms around Savannah protectively. "Ten thousand years!" His voice boomed and shook the cave, Savannah wincing as her sensitive ears rang from her throbbing head. "It'll give you such a crick in the neck!" The blue creature grunted and groaned, stretching himself and twisted his head to ease the cramped pressure of lamp living, which earned a gasp from the female in the room. "Hm?" The resident of the lamp bent down to get a good look at the two humans that summoned him, curious as to which of the two were his master.

This was a new sight, there were never two. Only one rubbed his lamp and received the wishes. Most men wished for love and money, but this one here, this one was most interesting.

"So, which one of you two love birds rubbed my lamp? Look at you, so cozy looking together, it is just a picture." He adjusted his thumbs and index fingers accordingly to form a square to fit Aladdin and Savannah into the frame.

Savannah was merely in a state of shock before slowly thumbing to Aladdin, indicating that he was the lamp's master.

"Say, master, what's with your girl? It's like she's never seen a magical being before," Genie chuckled and simmered down to a less intimidating size and sat on a rock across from them cross legged.

"I'm not his," Savannah cleared her throat, reeling from her shock. "I'm not his girl."

"Coulda fooled me," Genie shrugged. "So, what is my master's name? And the name of his _lovely companion_?" He flashed a smile towards Savannah. "Better?"

"I, um, I'm A-Aladdin. And this is Savannah..."

"Can I just call you two Al and Sav? Maybe Salav? Throw a mix in there?" He looked for a reaction, but just received a confused look from both parties. "Alright, forgetting the Salav salad. Moving on. Jeez, rough crowd tonight."

"So wait..." Aladdin let go of Savannah and sat her back before approaching the Genie. "Master? You're really a-?"

"What do you know!?" The genie slapped a graduation cap and diploma on Aladdin out of thin air. "He can be taught!" He stroked his goatee and smiled, showing off a few more parlor tricks of duplication and slid back into a singular genie once more. "You! Aladdin, have been awarded one genie of the lamp, with a wish fulfillment of three."

"Wait, wish fulfillment?" Aladdin asked, blinking in shock.

"That's right, three wishes!" The genie paused for a moment before eying the two cautiously. The genie vanished from his spot, and then reappeared in front of Savannah, who was startled from her spot. "And you, little lady, don't go putting the idea of more wishes in his head 'cause I won't do it." He crossed his arms and looked away from her.

Savannah looked appalled. "What!? I would never!"

The genie chuckled. "She really needs to lighten up."

Aladdin glanced over to Abu who was perched on his shoulder. "Now I know I'm dreaming."

"Master! I don't think you realize what you have in front of you! Sit back, allow me to explain." The genie trailed off from there, getting ready for his display of showcasing the glitz and glamour of having a magical entity of his very own. Dancing girls, endless amounts of food, the heavens and beyond for Aladdin as he was enamored with the idea of this new found magic. Genie once more sat in front of the two, looking to settle business and awaited that familiar unsettling feeling to drain from their systems.

"So, you want to grant me any three wishes I want?" Aladdin asked, setting the lamp down, finally. For the street rat, this was a dream come true. Any wish? His list could run miles, however, he couldn't think of a thing at the moment that he truly wanted. The genie sat back and tapped his finger against his lips.

"Well, about that. There are certain limitations..." Savannah extended her arm for him to continue as Aladdin waited to hear what he could and could not wish for, pausing his mental list.

"Well, for one, I can't kill anyone." He proceeded to decapitate himself via slicing his head off with the magic in his thumb. Savannah's eyes widened.

"Rule number two, I can't make anyone fall in love." He glanced from Aladdin to Savannah and back. "But, I could swear you two wouldn't need that rule." Savannah shot him a look as Aladdin sighed.

"Alright, alright, sorry. Rule number three, I can't bring anyone back from the dead." He suddenly transformed into a corpse and rose himself from lying on his back. "It's not a pretty picture and I don't like doing it! But other than those three, you can have whatever you want."

Aladdin's heart sunk slightly. One of his greatest wishes was to see his mother just once more, his father even. Shaking his head, Aladdin grasped the concept of restrictions and thought to himself pertaining to the cave and an escape route. But, now it came to how he could accomplish that without actually wasting a wash.

"Limitations?" Aladdin glanced at Savannah, who began to wonder where he was going with this. However, she would play along.

"Sounds like there are certain things he can't do, Al..."

"Yeah, but listen to him play himself up. Some all powerful genie and he can't get us out of this cave? C'mon, Sav, even you have to admit something smells weird about this. We'll just have to find our way out of here, on our own, without his almighty magic."

"Al-" A large blue foot stepped in between Aladdin and Savannah, separating them as Genie stepped in front of Al wearing a rather pained and angered expression.

"Okay, now you doubt me? You rubbed my lamp, woke me up, and brought me out here? No, no, no, you're getting your wishes." He backed Aladdin onto the carpet where Savannah had perched herself on, taking a moment to realize what she was sitting on and blinked in astonishment. But then again, after meeting such a colorful and gifted person, nothing could/should take her aback.

Once the duo had sat down, the genie levitated above them and began to instruct them to not fall out once the carpet was in motion. Aggravated, he shot forth from what they thought was an enclosed space in the ceiling, Savannah held onto Aladdin's back and felt the breeze in her hair and the warmth of the sun on her skin. She could barely believe they had made it out alive.

At least now they understood why the old man had such a desire for the old relic. Savannah couldn't blame him for trying. She clung to Aladdin as she felt the incline, making their dash out of the cave, her heart thumping and praying they made it out safely. Allah, her mother, or father must have heard her requests and watched over them. She squeezed her eyes tight, as did her arms around her friend. All she could hope for now was that this be worth Aladdin's wildest dreams.


	12. Wishes do not Equate Freedom

Chapter Twelve- Wishes do not Equate Freedom

The air felt good. Freedom tasted even better. Aladdin and Jasmine burst forth from the cave and sucked in gulps of fresh air. The Genie, unbeknownst to the duo, basked in the feeling of fresh air. He hadn't felt the tingle of a brisk breeze in centuries. It was limitless, where he was not. These two behind him, they were something fresh. He had been accustomed to dealing with peddlers and grimy men who wished for women, gold, jewels to make them richer than they could ever be in their lifetimes.

Being a genie was a wonder, even to him, sometimes. He was still mesmerized by his abilities, even though they had been encircling him since the very beginning. Power was not worth his own selfishness. He too was once a soul who longed for more than he had, stumbled upon his own magic lamp and wound up trading his life away. Now he lived to serve the delights of others. The Cave of Wonders was a birthing place of supernatural and unrealistic fantasies. Genie traded his life away for something so enchanting, that he had no choice but to enjoy it.

Perhaps these two would make a difference in this new period of sentence. This man and woman, he saw, were new hope. He just wasn't sure if for Agrabah or himself. Nevertheless, they had fire in their eyes that was so refreshing from the selfishness flickering in the eyes of men past. Genie glanced down at Carpet and tilted his head to gain speed, sending them soaring and experiencing just how wonderful magic could be, the upside of a man's wildest dreams.

Down below he saw an island, a plume of green and tropical colors. He could already feel the warmth that differed from the dead and dry heat Agrabah had to offer and not to mention, the water that lapped against the shore. Savannah's eyes widened in wonder and the Genie couldn't help but smile softly. These kids were so sheltered by the walls they were confined to. As free as they were as poor children, they were restricted, just like him. They had more to relate to than imagined.

The group descended, Carpet hovering above the cool sand below. This, he determined, was the perfect place to unwind. For fun, he transformed himself into an amusing large bosom flight attendant.

"Thank you for flying Magic Carpet. Please watch your step. Thank you. Good bye, good bye," The Genie cheerfully said, fingers femininely waving, cross dressed as Savannah and Aladdin stepped down from their supernatural mode of transportation. There, safe and sound. Away from the depths of the abysmal cave that was certain to seal their fate. Dying was not on their list of things to do today.

Genie transformed back into his initial form, voice booming with triumph. "Well now! How about that, you doubting Mustafas?" He grinned as he crossed his enlarged arms.

Aladdin glanced around the splendor of the island in which they had landed. The lush trees, soft and warm sand between their toes, he could get lost in a place like this. His eyes discovered Savannah relishing in the warmth that wasn't too overbearing. It was perfect, if there ever was a definition for the word.

"I give you credit, Genie. This place is magnificent," he mused as he continued to discover the new pleasantries the island had to offer. "Now, about my three wishes." The idea was very appealing, to have almost anything he could have ever dreamed and earn it without stealing. It was too good. He could almost taste yearn building up in his mouth. Aladdin found himself salivating for his dreams.

Genie blinked as Savannah perked her head. "I'm sorry, three?" He chuckled before smirking. "Three? You are down by one, boy!" He exclaimed and shot an enlarged digit in Aladdin's face which, in turn, matched Genie's chuckle more subtly and moved the finger out of his line of view.

"I never actually wished myself out. You kind of did that on your own, sorry." Aladdin offered a soft, apologetic smile and turned back to Savannah whose eyes widened as Genie transfigured into a sheep. She had yet to get accustomed to the concept of magic. Genie commented on how 'sheepish' he felt, which left Aladdin to roll his eyes. Genie seemed to contemplate in this animal form before marching up to Aladdin with his fluffy tail wagging behind him.

"Alright, I get it, you bad boy. No more freebies from here on in, got it?" Giving Aladdin no time to respond, Genie turned his fluffy behind on the street urchin and returned to his natural form.

"So!" The blue giant grinned at both Aladdin and Savannah. "What'll your first wish be?"

Savannah rose from the sand she had been sitting in, a psalm leaf in her hand as she tapped the green against the palm of her hand. "It should be good," she commented. Genie nodded in response. She thought about what she would wish for if she were the one who had the wishes to utilize. "What about the children of Agrabah? We could wish for an endless stock of food!"

Aladdin turned his head to Savannah. A selfless wish; it was what they had been talking about for months. How to solve Agrabah's problems? How to make the city a better place to live? Savannah was right, those wishes should be used towards every singular problem Agrabah had. He would be a hero! He would win over Jasmine and- But what about Jasmine? She was a princess; she needed to marry into royalty. She would never, or could ever marry and penniless street rat such as him.

And then it hit him. There was such a way he could have both Agrabah's Golden Age and Jasmine. His heart elated with joy. His eyes found Savannah and he paused. But, what about Savannah? Of course he would take care of her as a prince, she would want for nothing. She would see to the children of Agrabah to be taken care of. It would benefit everyone in the long run, and he couldn't have been happier.

While Aladdin contemplated this wish, Genie had a card table set up with Savannah who was donned with a visor and a full house in her hands. With a candy cigar between his lips, Genie set down the flush. "So, kid, what would you wish for if you had three wishes?"

Savannah picked her head up and smiled. "I would wish for peace and prosperity to reign over Agrabah. I would strip the gold from the Sultan's walls and really show that "future Sultana" how to rule a city." She slowly set down her cards. "If only you'd see the children: homeless, wandering, skin and bones, beaten, losing their hands and toes over stolen fruit. It's too much, sometimes. It really churns my stomach to see them that way."

"But, what about you? Wouldn't you wish for anything yourself?" Genie asked, moved by how emotional this young woman was becoming.

"What about me? This is all I know. Anything more would be overwhelming. It would be a wish for me to see justice served for a change. That would be enough."

Genie was right. There was passion in this one's eyes. Her heart was warm, and he could appreciate that. Her friend, on the other hand had dreams in his eyes. Inwardly he chuckled to himself.

"And don't you worry, Savannah. You'll have that," Aladdin chimed in as he approached the card table.

"Do I sense a wish coming on?" Genie inquired, ear and attention perked towards his lamp's owner.

"Well, you see, there's this girl," Aladdin began and Savannah's face fell.

"Jasmine!? This is about her!? How is that helping the people?" Savannah abruptly rose from the table, unable to hold back her sharp exclamation. "You're-"

"Will you listen?" Aladdin gave her a look before Genie attempted to explain to him that he couldn't wish Jasmine to be in love with him. Love couldn't be forced, it had to be natural. "If I could get Jasmine to fall in love with me, I'd make the changes in Agrabah. No one's going to go hungry again."

Taking a moment, appearing lost in the midst of thought, Savannah murmured, "But in order to win Jasmine over, you'd have to become a prince and abide by the law of her father."

"Exactly." Aladdin folded his arms and locked eyes with Sav.

"Al, I don't know. You're deceiving Jasmine."

"I'm gaining her attention," he corrected.

"By lying! Aladdin, do you know how wrong that is? That's almost as bad as the other suitors." Savannah threw her arms up in the air, cards scattering into the sand. "Genie, what would you wish for? I guarantee any other wish is more sensible than lying to someone."

Inside she was fuming. No one deserved to be lied to, no matter how spoiled, how prim and pampered. As much as Savannah distasted Jasmine, if Aladdin wanted this, he would have to play fair. She picked her head up and waited for the Genie to respond. There would be time to pick up on this topic later, perhaps smack some sense into her friend.

Genie picked his head up; weary from listening to their banter. "What would I wish for?" He asked. Memories flooded back of his time before the duo. He recalled how good the air felt, that limitless feeling, weightless; a mind of no binds and no harnesses."Well," a small, almost sad smile played on his lips and uttered one word, "Freedom."

The island suddenly quieted. Savannah's heart sank and Aladdin's face dropped.

"You mean you're a prisoner?" Aladdin asked as he picked up the lamp and glanced at the brass relic. He didn't imagine iron chains and shackles attached to something so beautiful. He imagined the genie now, miserable, tied with invisible binds to a sentence he probably never asked for. How did genie's come about, anyway?

"It's part of the genie gig. You have phenomenal cosmic power, with itty-bitty living space. But freedom," he whispered the word. "Oh, to be free," he mused. "Not to continuously be bombarded with requests all the time. To be my own master, that would be worth everything."

Aladdin's mouth closed as his eyes found Savannah's bearing down on him. He read those eyes. She wanted Aladdin to forget any of the wishes and set the genie free now. But, that would mean giving up what he thought to be his only opportunity with Jasmine. He knew it was selfish, but he couldn't pass that up. He couldn't allow himself to never again see the beautiful eyes of the princess. He couldn't accept missing an opportunity to have her again. If Aladdin played this idea right, everyone could be happy. This could work. No, it had to work.

"I'll do it. I'll set you free." Aladdin simply stated with a causal shrug of his shoulders. _Smooth and cool, Al, smooth and cool._ Savannah's face lit up and Genie's face overwhelm with shock. "After my first two wishes, I'll use my third to set you free." Savannah's face fell.

Genie lips curled into a slight smile. "Well, here's hoping," Genie murmured and Aladdin shook on it with the wish maker. "Alright kid, you need to make this an official wish! No more freebies! Let's make some magic!" Sparks and cards flew from his cuffs, it was show time, and he could feel it.

"Genie," Aladdin commanded confidently with a plastered grin, heart racing with adrenaline. "I wish for you to make me a prince!"

Savannah sank down as Aladdin uttered those words. She smelled and felt disaster unfurling. Aware of how she sounded, she shook her head and glanced over to Carpet who was entertaining Abu. Lying and deceiving, that's what the people of Agrabah did to people like Aladdin and Savannah. Or was that the key to surviving?


	13. Prince Abubu: Every Woman's Dream

Chapter Thirteen- Prince Abubu: Every Woman's Dream

The act of transformation was a forte of the Genie, Savannah could tell. She barely felt anything with the exception of being swept up in a flurry of surges and tingles, emotions and feelings. It was a cloud of electric impulses, as though the Genie was getting intimate with her thoughts. Once the magic settled, she saw herself in the mirror and almost failed to believe that was her reflection. She had seen her reflection in the water; it looked nothing like what she saw currently.

"Sav, you look good," Aladdin commented as he stood beside her in the mirror and offered her a winning thumb up. That was before he actually looked at her and he quieted. She was donned from head to toe in arabesque silk of lavender and her hair smoothed; losing its matted, tangled abomination. She stared at herself, noticing for the first time just how big her eyes were. She slithered her arms around her waist in embarrassment, her ribcage noticeable. The silk felt good against her skin, so soft and water-like, and most importantly, she was clean- she looked clean.

This is what real women looked like, she thought to herself. The women of Agrabah who placated happiness; these women had the families and the wealth of love at their fingertips. The possibilities were endless for these women and now she felt as though she were one of them.

"It's a total transformation!" Genie shrilled excitedly, like a young school girl. "Just look at this before and after!" Genie held up a blown up copy of Savannah in her ragged attire to an image of Savannah now. Aladdin glanced up before settling his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her.

"You really do look beautiful," he said and pressed his lips against her cheek. "I know you're against this, but I appreciate you doing it for me. You don't know what this means." He murmured this against her temple before walking away to join the newly transformed Abu.

"Oh, but I do."

Savannah raised a hand to her cheek and rubbed her fingers against the flesh he kissed before letting them fall and settling her arms back around herself in a hug. "You just don't know how this is killing me," she whispered to herself and glanced up to find the Genie's reflection staring at hers, through hers.

And this reminded Genie of why it was so difficult to work with members of the opposite sex. Those passionate eyes were saddened and in dire need of comfort. Feelings were such a tricky villain.

* * *

It was a monstrous procession; Savannah took her place across a girl of Genie's creation and fanned Prince Ali with large and lush leaves. He grinned and wooed the crowd with ease, and Genie's exaggerated and untrue stories of his bravery and heroism. Genie was a true bard, humorous and cheeky. Savannah peered down, watching the people cheer, their hearts swelling with hope and excitement of a new suitor for their princess. The children, dressed in their saris and tunics bounced up and down, catching the gold coins Ali tossed down to them. The streets were showered with it and snowed with confetti.

Savannah saw just how important this was. A new man turned into a timeless celebration of prayers and hope. She heard the people pray for him to be the one as Jasmine had cast out the others before Aladdin. Her lips thinned before she bit the bottom of her lip. Aladdin was no hope for Agrabah, not as he was now.

They finally reached the palace, Aladdin leaving his ride Abu to bounce quickly on Carpet to zip and zoom around the palace, curling around the Sultan and creating an impressive landing. Savannah managed her way down from Abu, in the expansive lobby of the palace. So, this was it. She was within the walls of the place she detested for most of her life since her mother passed. She stroked Abu's trunk and glanced over to the direction in which she heard Aladdin's voice, impressing the Sultan who giggled with glee at a new potential for his daughter.

Smoothing her hair back into the bands, she set off to explore. She felt a speck of entitlement deep within her. Cool and arabesque walls whispered to Savannah that she deserved to not suffer of sun poisoning or hunger for another day. She heard the words of the palace seep into her. But, this wasn't her place. She was not meant to be here.

Ascending the staircase, she noticed the servants and women dashing back and forth with cloth in their hands, men with trays and tools. The floors were of marble, the walls white smooth to the touch, nothing at all like the rough stone back in any of the homes the peasants walked into. The walls were adorned with portraits of past Sultans and Sultanas in the family tree, a blank space at the end for Princess Jasmine and her future family.

She was surprised that she hadn't been stopped or questioned, but she did blend in with the other handmaidens. Guards did pose her some odd looks the further she traveled down the hallway. But, after a handmaiden passed her, the guard nodded his head to her. The morons, especially Razoul, didn't recognize her, and she couldn't help but inwardly grin.

"There's no reason for you to be standing out there, gawking like an idiot," an older woman clucked. Savannah turned her head to see a woman garbed in a sari, hands on her hips, portly and stout with a kindly stern face.

"The princess needs help dressing for her meeting with this new suitor! Unexpected, yes, but that's what you're here for, hurry!" Savannah was pushed into the further most room, despite her protests, past the double doors and skittered into a room the size of Aladdin's hovel three times combined. The door slammed behind her and she was face-to-face with the enemy.

The bed was impressive, large, and colorfully decorated. The pillows were as well garnish, but completed the look nicely. Plush carpet along the floors, tapestries on the walls, tassels for a touch. It was truly a room for a princess. She felt the anger well up inside of her, how she had these unnecessary items when people were ill and starving. Savannah wanted to rip the sheets and tear the tapestries. Items like those could go for a pretty coin in the marketplace and fill many empty bellies.

"Did father send you?" A voice angrily came from the doorway as Savannah stood in the center of the room. Princess Jasmine marched into the bedroom. "For this _Prince Ali_? Who does he think he is, barging into here with his," she began to stammer, "His peacock parade!" She was fuming, which caused Savannah's eyebrow to perk with amusement. So, she didn't buy into it, either; smart girl. Jasmine picked up a pillow from the bed and threw it against the others in aggravation. "I told him I didn't want to see any other suitors!" She groaned and plopped down onto the bed.

Savannah remembered, clearly, how desperate she sounded in the hovel just a few nights ago. She didn't want to be forced into marriage. Jasmine had no desire to follow her father's bidding. She looked absolutely miserable, and still did. The anger began to simmer from Savannah, and rather than stand and wait for her to speak, Savannah took a few steps towards the bed. There was no making that kind of anger and hurt up.

"It was a bit excessive, wasn't it?" Savannah inquired. "I, uh, your highness," That was the proper lingo, right? "You shouldn't have to be forced to marry. But, that's the system, right? This is how it goes. We're born into these positions, whether we want them or not."

Jasmine picked her head up from the pillow she buried her face into and looked up at Savannah. She was quiet; taking her in. "You seem very familiar. Do I know you?"

Did Jasmine remember her from Aladdin's hovel? She swallowed, unwilling to take any chances, especially seeing how emotional the princess was. "No, I'm just a humble servant."

Appearing momentarily unconvinced, Jasmine sat upright and continued on about her initial topic. "I know I'll be sultana someday. But, can't I become a ruler with someone I love? Can't my father see that? Why can't I rule on my own? It's about time we shunned this silly idea of needing a man to rule Agrabah."

"This arrangement isn't about love; it's about security for you and for the kingdom. Your highness," Savannah quickly added the proper address, although the words felt bitter on the tip of her tongue. She continued to keep her composure, if only to gather more information on the princess' intentions. Savannah realized that with the right collection of words, this whole thing could crumble and she could take Aladdin back and they could be happy, just the two of them.

Savannah stepped towards the balcony instead, looking down at the people of Agrabah, how they crowded around the palace to catch even a mere glimpse of the princess or her father. How they collected together like drones in a hive. For the first time, Savannah caught a glimpse of seeing things from the higher end. Seeing all of Agrabah was overwhelming, no wonder Jasmine was in absolutely no rush to take it all.

Did Aladdin understand how much responsibility he was taking upon him by gaining Jasmine? Savannah had to smile to herself. Of course he didn't, like a child; he saw only what was directly in front of him. Her smile slowly dropped, and what was in front of him was Jasmine.

How was he going to pull this off? She would find out the truth somewhere, at some point. Savannah turned around and glanced back to Jasmine, who had taken no notice of her absence in the middle of the room. The princess sulked over the loss of her freedom, having no control over her future.

The head nursemaid knocked on the door and stood as regally as a nursemaid could at the entrance of the room. "Princess, please excuse the intrusion, but your father requests your presence for Prince Ali." She shot Savannah a glare for not having the princess ready to go. Savannah merely blinked as though to say, _'Hey, not my responsibility.'_ Savannah only assumed this nursemaid was close to Jasmine, either that, or the princess was a very open person with her subjects for she merely picked up her head as the nursemaid opened her mouth once more to send fire towards her father.

"Please, princess, your father is struggling between the ancient laws and making you happy. Please try to understand. This man is a handsome fellow, with an equally handsome caravan." Her eyebrows waggled, which caused Jasmine to roll her eyes amusingly. She sat up and glanced over Savannah's way.

"Alright, I'll meet this Prince Ali," Swinging her legs over the bed, she moved over to her vanity to make herself presentable.

"Who knows, he may be the man of your dreams," Savannah commented. "The man to take you away from that feeling of being trapped."

Jasmine paused and stopped brushing her hair to turn around and face Savannah. "You're that girl from the marketplace with that boy!" Her face lightened. "He's alive, isn't he!? Please, tell me where he is."

The desperation lingered from Jasmine's words like stale wine on an escort's breath. Savannah's chest tightened with panic before shaking her head. "No, princess, I am not." And to reinforce her point, she took hold of Jasmine's hair and brushed the ends. "I am but a humble servant. And you are to meet Prince Ali Ababwa, and we shall pray everything works out."

Jasmine put the idea to rest, but she still wasn't entirely convinced. After finishing freshening up, Jasmine descended the staircase to overhear the conversation that had begun to ensue between the males in the audience chamber. Savannah was hot on her heels, though attempted to be as graceful as she could manage. They were discussing Jasmine, and not in the most positive of ways, either.

 _"Fear not, your highness. I am_ Prince Ali Ababwa _. I will win your daughter."_

Savannah's eyes widened, unable to believe what she had heard from the lips of her dearest companion. "Oh no," she breathed before seeing the enraged look upon Jasmine's features. Savannah didn't believe she would ever think these thoughts, but as a woman, Jasmine had every right to be angry.

"How dare you," Jasmine hissed from the doorway of the chamber, her eyes seeing red, hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Standing around here and deciding my future. I am not some prize to be won!" Her hair whipped behind her as she stomped out of the room.

"I can't believe them, how could they!? And that, that, ignorant stuffed peacock-swaggering jackal," Jasmine prattled on angrily, unladylike, as she stormed past Savannah. The Sultan waddled behind her hurriedly, calling out endearments to capture her attention.

Jafar stood there, tall and intimidating, cobra scepter in hand and appeared amused. Savannah eyed him before approaching "Prince Ali." "Prince Ali, if I may request audience with you."

Thankful for the chance for escape, Ali nodded and cleared his throat. "Why of course, miss, right this way!" He responded authoritatively and bid adieu to Jafar, who gazed upon Savannah with curiosity.

"Before you go, where did you say you were from again?" Jafar inquired.

"Uh, oh, well, further than you've traveled, I can promise. Ababwa is very small and very intimate," Ali continued on in his newly discovered prince voice.

"Uh huh, try me."

"Prince Ali," Savannah touched his arm. "It is detrimental I speak with you. I implore you."

"We shall have to pick up on this conversation at a later time, Jabar. It appears I am needed." And with that, Aladdin kept in step with Savannah to exit the room.

Jafar scowled. Those two appeared oddly familiar, and not in a good way. Jafar was not a fan of being unawares. He would have to do away with what he was unsure of; do away before it became a problem. And who the hell was Jabar?


	14. Coming to Terms with the Truth

Chapter Fourteen- Coming to Terms with the Truth

The sun had begun to set after their escape from the audience chamber. Aladdin paced beneath the balcony that belonged to Jasmine. He berated himself for his actions and words. That was not smooth at all, but rather stupid, and he knew it.

"Real smooth there, your highness," Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You'll _win_ her? Where in all of Agrabah did you think you were going with that? You sure as hell didn't _win_ her that way."

"Don't you think I know that?" Aladdin glared at her.

"You're getting caught up in your own lies. You really think yourself to be this all powerful prince with a palace of his own, servants and valets to wait on him hand and foot. You're Aladdin, NOT Ali."

Aladdin ignored her, glancing over to Genie who sat back at his poker table, playing Go Fish with Carpet and Abu. Genie was winning.

"Kid, I know you want to impress her, but maybe it is time you tell her the truth. Pack this charade up. That's going to impress her, not something you don't really have." Genie watched Aladdin resume his pacing, wiggling his turban distractedly in his hands behind his back.

"Why are you both against me on thus, huh!?" The defense was rearing its head. "How could you tell someone you're a worthless street rat? She'll laugh at me, laugh at all this. And then I'll get thrown in jail because how do I explain you and magic?"

The pressure was consuming him. All Savannah wanted to do was embrace him and tell him it would be alright. She knew Aladdin to be a passionate human being, he had passions, and he dreamed, and wished. This was the first time seeing him act on one of his dreams. And it wasn't just to get the girl, but to better his life, as well.

She took slow strides, but gently placed her hand upon his arm, before circling her arm around his bicep. Savannah tugged her friend to her and hugged him for the first time in a while. She was worried it would be one of the last times, because she wouldn't be going to the palace with him. After this adventure was over, she would resume her role in the streets. As big as that palace was, there was no room for her.

"No one's against you," she assured him, looking up into those struggling eyes. So big and hopeful were those eyes. "I'm right by your side in this, but Aladdin, this is bigger than you. Are you really ready for this? Being with Jasmine means taking on responsibilities you've never even heard of before."

"Sav's right, Al. I'm all for the wishes, I'm a big blue wishing machine. But, maybe really think this through." Genie approached the duo.

Aladdin shrugged Savannah off of him. "Oh trust me, Genie, I have. I just need to be suave, cool, and confident. I'm a prince, after all."

Savannah shook her head. "You're far from a prince. Look, I've spent time with her. I know what she wants. She wants that boy from the marketplace, she-"

"And now is not the time for you to be spinning stories like you do in the marketplace," Aladdin snapped his interruption. "You didn't talk to her! You just want me to not see her because you're- you're jealous!"

Savannah's mouth was open; she was taken aback and stepped back from him to back up into Genie. "I'm sorry, _what_ did you say?"

"I know you're jealous of Jasmine. That's what all of this is about." Aladdin stared, fixed into Savannah's eyes. "Come on, Sav. You radiate it."

"You know what, Aladdin? I am jealous. I'm jealous of the fact she has your attention without even trying. I've been there for you since the beginning." She shook her head, feeling a lump well in her throat. "It hurts knowing at the end of this, it won't be me in your arms. It hurts knowing how much I love you-" The lump had ceased her flow of words, tears rolling hotly down her cheeks. All she had been suppressing inside was erupting and she forced herself to turn away from him and walk away a few feet.

The confession was more than Savannah had intended on revealing, more than she could handle. She said how much she cared about him, but never uttered love, real love. Her heart bore many secrets, although Genie knew each and every locked chamber the moment his magic reached her heart. She couldn't even recall when it happened, when she fell in love. Maybe it was the moment they embraced in his hovel, or the moment he embraced her to protect her. Unsure, Savannah just knew the feelings existed and it wasn't going to be that easy to let them go.

She should have, for the sake of her feelings. Aladdin loved Jasmine, not her. Although her thoughts battled her inwardly, her ardor was apparently stronger than that. Her hands trembled, despite balling them into fists to attempt to suppress her emotions. No chance.

"Oh kid," Genie embraced Savannah. In all his years of masters wishing and receiving, there was always something. "Magic always comes with a price," he murmured. "I know." That only caused Savannah to sob harder. Physical magic, metaphorical magic, it was all the same and the saying rang true. There was simply no way to come out unscathed.

Aladdin's eyes widened. It was one thing to know in the back of your mind how someone felt. Hell, he thought he felt it, as well. But, it was a whole other reality to hear it. He didn't expect this, even though he should have. He didn't know how women operated, or how their emotions were wired. He let out the breath he had been holding and watched Savannah's small form tremble in Genie's arms. Genie looked down at Aladdin and the wannabe prince felt the pang of guilt at his turning frown.

He rubbed the back of his neck and took precaution as he approached Savannah, taking over and collecting the young woman in his arms, waiting to see if she would fight him, but she didn't. This is where his wishes led him, to suffer, others to suffer for him.

"I never wanted to hurt you. You need to believe that, Savannah. After everything you and I have been through together. You're my best friend and all that I have left. I promise hurting you was never my intent. I'm sorry I can't make you dreams come true."

Savannah squeezed her eyes shut at that. That last line was too much, but the point hit home. She stared up at Aladdin, noticing his eyes were red and bubbling with apologies words couldn't begin to formulate. She understood and she knew.

"Please say something," Aladdin beckoned.

"Don't lie to her," Savannah stammered, voice choked and broken. "Please, don't make her love Ali. Let her love Aladdin."

Aladdin stared down at her. "But what about the-"

"The wish wasn't wasted. You said so yourself, right? You wanted her attention? Well, you've got it. Now, be the prince I know you are. The real prince. Let the wish be your guide."

Aladdin swallowed and looked at Genie before turning back to Savannah. He fixed the turban back to his head and mounted Carpet. "Savannah, I'm really sorry. But, thank you."

Savannah moved towards Carpet and sat upon her knees, feeling it wiggle and purr with life. It was almost unsettling. She stared into Aladdin's eyes before setting her hand over his heart. "You can thank me by being true to yourself. Stop lying, and be the prince I've always known you to be." She then leaned in and pressed her lips tenderly to his cheek. She dismounted Carpet and Aladdin gazed down at her as he rose towards Jasmine's balcony.

"That was a really selfless thing you did," Genie commented.

"He was meant to live out his dreams," Savannah replied.

"And you're not?" Genie asked.

Savannah laughed lightly, "My dreams were unattainable to me."

He paused a moment before looking away. "If I could, kid, I'd make them all come true." He then took his place by Al's side to check on his progress.

Savannah glanced up, seeing the fringe of Carpet flowing fluidly in the midnight sky. She stepped out a ways to gain a better look without being seen. However, Capet's tassel turned over a pot on the balcony's edge as Aladdin flew away with Jasmine, causing a crash near where Savannah stood. It did not take long for the palace guards to investigate and find the young woman standing there. With little choice, Savannah resumed the old techniques of escaping the guards, scaling the palace wall, only to fall right into the arms of Razoul. Her shoes had little to no grip against the smooth alabaster walls.

"I knew something was off about you, handmaiden." Razoul growled and tightened his hold on her. "Jafar will know what to do with you."

* * *

Aladdin did something for Jasmine that no other suitor could manage. He showed her the world, literally. He lit up as Jasmine spread her arms and took in the world as her own, embraced and became one with it. She glanced back at Ali and a grin swept her features, which caused Aladdin's heart to leap. He came up behind her and interlaced their fingers, taking in the moment of security that he had her. That was all he knew and he would hold onto every ounce he could of it.

When he took her hand, Jasmine felt a surge she hadn't felt since the boy in the marketplace. The way he spoke to her, the tone of his voice. There was no mistaking it. But, to save her sanity, she had to prove it. Jasmine had to prove that he was the boy she had grown attached to knowing, the boy she vied to see again. She had to make sense of this attachment, but love didn't always make sense, especially love at first sight.

Carpet took them to China, where they sat upon a roof top and watched a Chinese celebration with a dancing costumed dragon. Jasmine smiled, she was content and satisfied. She leaned against Ali and placed her head on his shoulder. "It's all so magical, isn't it?" She asked. "The stars, the moon, that carpet ride through the world."

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Aladdin replied, sliding his arm around her to secure her to him. His dream was coming true, and he needed the physical proof that she was there with him. He gently squeezed her to his form.

"You're so unlike the other suitors. You're not as self-centered as I thought you were." That earned a chuckle from Aladdin. "In fact, I thought you were worse." Aladdin looked ahead to the distance with a subtle grin. "That was until you touched my hand like you did before we jumped."

"Yeah, I had to tou-"

Jasmine jerked the turban from him and glanced at him from his hair to his lips; she glared at him and demanded an explanation. "You are that boy from the marketplace, aren't you? And that girl in my bedroom, she's your friend, isn't she? Why did you lie to me?"

"Jasmine wait, you don't understand," Aladdin began, but then stopped himself.

"And just what wouldn't I understand?" Jasmine huffed.

Aladdin took a moment to process this. So, Savannah hadn't lied when she claimed to have spoken to Jasmine? Well, he owed her an apology when he returned. But, aside from the necessary apology, this was Aladdin's moment to be honest with her. Isn't that what his mother told him a long time ago? A solid marriage was built on trust and honesty? Didn't Savannah say Jasmine would love him for the prince he really was instead of who he pretended to be? All this time he fought the morality that told him to stop the charade. The guilt was eating him alive.

Aladdin took Jasmine's hands into his own and gazed into her eyes. "Jasmine, I'm sorry I lied to you." It was time to stop being selfish, even though he thought it was owed to him for once. "I, you're right. You're absolutely right. I'm the one from the marketplace." It was exactly what she wanted to hear and it was the truth.

Jasmine's eyes widened. All of her suspicions now confirmed. But, now what would she do? She had her answer. The boy from the marketplace was in front of her. In fact, she didn't lose him. Jafar had lied to her, "Ali" lied to her, and that girl from her bedroom lied to her. Actually, her blood was boiling ounce by ounce on the inside.

"Why did you lie to me!?" She demanded.

"I'm sorry I lied to you. You deserved a prince; you didn't belong with a penniless nobody." And that was the honest truth.

Jasmine's face softened, her hard lines fading and she removed her hand from his. Aladdin stiffened from the loss of contact from the princess, and then melted in this new touch as her hand rested on his cheek.

"I've challenged my father on marrying for love instead of picking a husband out of a regal line," Jasmine explained. "None of them, not one of the twenty-five made me feel the way I felt with you that day. I don't want to be a princess if that means giving up on love. I can't explain what's going on through me, but I don't want to lose you again the way I thought I did."

Aladdin held his breath once more, and then understood what he must do. "Then allow me to try to clarify it for you," Aladdin replied as he leaned in and captured Jasmine's lips. The woman was receptive and leaned into him. The two were finishing what they started in the marketplace, in Aladdin's hovel, even down to her not knowing his name. "And you're not losing me again," he whispered. His heart was lighter; he didn't have to hide under a facade any longer. He could be Aladdin and have Jasmine. He showed her a world she had never seen before, but he saw it when he looked into her eyes.

Jasmine smiled softly into it. "I don't even know your name," she laughed.

"Aladdin. But call me Al."


	15. When You Know the End is Near

Chapter Fifteen- When You Know the End is Near

"I knew I recognized you the moment you set foot into the palace," Jafar said as he rose from the audience chamber throne, taking slow and small strides towards Savannah. "You and that wretched urchin companion of yours. I wondered to myself where you had managed to find such tasteful clothes. These are far more indulgent than you're accustomed to stealing. And then it hit me," he said, pausing for dramatic effect, cape flying behind him as he picked Savannah's chin up between his fingers, thrusting her head to meet his eye. "You have my lamp."

Savannah's silence confirmed what he had suspected and Jafar grinned. "I would like it back, my dear. And you will fetch it for me." His fingers slithered around his scepter, amused at her stern expression. She was keeping out from lashing. Of course, he tried to kill them. His eyes measured her frame and clothing for any tracings of the lamp. It was not on her persons. "Because if you don't, I would hate to think what would happen to your companion."

He knew he had her attention, and so he continued. "You see, all I have to do is tell the Sultan who you two really are, then your little friend will be locked up and eventually killed for treason. And I will make certain you watch as he dies slowly and intimately." The more he spoke, the wider Savannah's eyes became. Death? Death and she were not friends, not in the least. She couldn't bear to risk Aladdin's life. She lost her mother; she couldn't lose him on top of it.

"What do I have to do?" Savannah asked, her voice broken and yearning for release of Aladdin's life. She would protect Aladdin with her life if that's what it took.

"Just go to him when he returns," he instructed. The plot was thickening deliciously.

"Don't you dare hurt him," Savannah hissed, which caused Jafar to grin maliciously.

* * *

As Jasmine stepped down from Carpet, Aladdin reluctantly let her hand go and settled back down onto his transportation. Jasmine leaned against the balcony, smiling contently.

"Good night, my handsome prince," she cooed.

"Sleep well, princess," he said and leaned in towards her as she ended their evening with a farewell kiss. Delicate and soft were her lips. He found himself drowning in bliss. His fingers longed to curl her closer to him, he wanted more. Patience, he reminded himself. He had to have patience.

"Until morning," she bade. She would speak to her father and would fight until this was settled. She had done everything asked of her. Out of many men who approached her, she chose a suitor. Her father was Sultan, he could change any law he desired. The man she chose did not have to be a prince, in her opinion. Although she knew in terms of her father, her opinion meant little.

Aladdin waited until Jasmine disappeared behind her curtain before he drifted back down to their meeting place, back flattened against the carpet as he cheered himself on for accomplishing his goal of winning the girl. "Finally, for the first time in my life, something has gone right."

She was relieved to see him return. Savannah approached the carpet and sat upon the edge. "So, it looks like the evening went well? Jasmine's on Team Aladdin?"

"Oh, Sav, you should have seen it! And I did it. I told Jasmine the truth, and you were right, and I-"Aladdin was rambling. Savannah pressed her finger to his lips to shush him and smiled.

That didn't stop Aladdin from pulling out the lamp and summoning Genie. Genie perked a brow to see the smile on Aladdin's face. Savannah was astonished that he would call out to Genie now.

"I take it the night went well?"

"Better than well, Genie. I did what you said, I told her the truth."

Genie smiled a paternally proud smile as he rubbed Aladdin's shoulder. "I'm proud of you kid. Now, have you thought of your second wish?"

Aladdin glanced at Savannah thoughtfully. "I'm going to give this next wish to Savannah."

Her eyes widened gently and she shook her head. "No, Al, these are your wishes. Save them. Use them for something good."

"No, I've got everything good in my life now. I have my friends, I have Jasmine. What more could I want?" Aladdin asked and passed the lamp to Savannah. She felt how warm the cool brass was in her hands, the weight of a singular, nearly limitless wish was. "Genie, I wish for Savannah to have the next wish."

She could wish selfishly and get her happy ending. The wickedness was tempting for a shift in time. Savannah could have anything she wanted. She could wish for Aladdin's happy ending to happen flawlessly. She could also wish for the Genie's freedom now. There was so much power she had in her hands; she barely knew where to begin. Slowly, she held a hand to cup Aladdin's cheek, showing him a warm smile of gratitude.

Aladdin leaned into her hand and looked at her, quizzically. Savannah gasped as Aladdin fell forward in her lap, the flesh tender and beginning to swell where the club had made contact with his head. Savannah cupped her mouth into her hands and snapped her head back to Jafar as he entered the clearing.

"You said you wouldn't hurt him," she seethed.

Jafar ignored her and approached the two lithe forms, yanking the lamp from Savannah's lap where it fell. Jafar smirked at her, and held up his prize. Savannah wanted to save both Aladdin and Genie. Genie had been good to them, despite it being a verbal contractual agreement. She had built a connection with the big blue lug, and she stared on helplessly as Jafar's eyes gazed at the brass lamp hungrily. He had finally gotten what he wanted, and was about to rid himself of the competition. There was no stopping the power hungry sorcerer now.

"Razoul, take the girl away. Toss this fool into the sea. Make sure they both don't return; at least not unscathed." With a flick of his cape, Jafar tossed the cloth away as he walked off, staff in hand. Razoul hoisted Savannah away, despite her protests. The more Savannah struggled, the less patience Razoul had for her. Savannah had to get to Aladdin, her heart stopping as she heard the splash Aladdin's body made when it came in contact with the ocean.

As a hold on Savannah became more difficult, Razoul moved his hand to gain a better grasp on her. He grazed her breast, held her hip, wrapped around her waist and up towards her neck. When his arm reached her neck, she leaned down and her teeth sank into his arm. Didn't matter whether or not she was in an aesthetically pleasing outfit, she was still firm in her street roots. She was harsh enough to draw blood and with a holler, Razoul let her go as she scrambled away.

The burn in her thighs was agonizing, Savannah ran and the chafe of the satin mesh of her garb was enough to make her cry. However, when she found her leverage, she dove in after Aladdin. Razoul and the other guards were hot on her heels, however, they stopped. They glanced at one another.

"Street rats travel in packs, boys," Razoul commented, sniffing sarcastically. "She just couldn't live without him."

Sav stroked deeper into the depths. The water was murky, but pushed on until it became clearer, but still the salt bit into her raw and chafed thighs. She caught up with Aladdin, hoisting him by his arms. She struggled to reach the surface with his weight, feeling the air reaching its limit, her lungs at their maximum capacity. They burned; she ached terribly for release and a gulp of fresh air that momentarily didn't exist. If she didn't think fast, they both wouldn't make it.

She pushed Aladdin up, and then used the tip of a nearby boulder that shouldered the side of the cliff to push them up. Savannah felt Aladdin slip from her grasp. Quickly, she gathered hold of his cape and hoisted him to her, like horses reins and her arms gathered beneath his pits once more, pushing him upward. Savannah felt compelled to apologize to him when they surfaced. She gasped as her head emerged, welcoming the air that flooded into her. She choked and sputtered, clutching her friend to her tightly.

He wasn't breathing. Her heart momentarily stopped and kicked towards the shore, laying him on the rocky ledge and shook him. She was already welling up, her anxiety taking full control as she nearly panicked. Genie was nowhere to be found, and Savannah had an uneasily feeling as she glanced towards the palace. Jafar had the lamp, it was only a matter of time before he looked to seize control altogether. As Savannah looked down at Aladdin, shaking him and pounding on his chest, feeling a momentary urge of hopelessness.

"How could I have let this happen? How could I have been so foolish?" She choked and struck Aladdin's chest once more, leaning in to see if she could feel breath or a heartbeat. She felt neither. "I let you go…" She collapsed against his chest, defeated. She hadn't the strength to bang on his chest like a monkey or shake him. She felt lost, almost as lost as when her mother passed. There was nothing Savannah could do.

Her mother was ill; there was no way Savannah could save her. Medicine was expensive and money ran dry on food and herbs. Her father was gone, her brother; she was the only one that remained until Aladdin. He slowly became her family, the family she desperately held onto. And now she even let him fall from her grasp, and there was no one to blame but her.

So, now there was nothing to do but grieve. She lowered herself to lay with him and let her tears fall. As strong as she tried to be, she was still a woman, and even the strongest women cried. She lingered her fingers over his chest, letting her fist make one last surge of contact with it out of a lapse of anger. She was moving through anger that he left her, in the stages of grief. Damn Aladdin, damn him for leaving her. It was his own selfish stupidity that he got himself in this position. Damn him for getting water all over her hair.

Water? She glanced up, so wrapped up in her loss that she hadn't taken notice to the fact that Aladdin had spit up on her. Frozen in shock, her eyes widened. "Al...?" She squeaked, and he replied by erupting into a fit of coughing, slowly sitting up as she wiggled her way into her own position of seat and rubbed his back. "You're alive."

Aladdin rubbed his chest and grimaced at the pain that sprung up there. He glanced at her before being flung back into her tackle. "Ow, Savannah," he hissed before breaking out into a grin. "Hey, I'm okay, I'm okay. What happened? Where's the Genie?"

She separated from him. There would be all the time in the world to continuously remind him over again how she saved him from raging death from the hands of a jealous sorcerer. That would make for quite a bedtime story, she believed. Aladdin repeated his question to her when she lacked an answer, but all Savannah could do was rise from Aladdin to look towards the palace.

"I'll get the lamp. I think you need to get to Jasmine, now."

Aladdin rose from the ground with Savannah's assistance and glanced up to witness rolling grey overshadowing the palace progressively. A sense of dread washed over the duo as they glanced at one another. Savannah's heart quickened, as did her breath and felt the anxious lump form in her throat once more. Aladdin glanced for the quickest way to the palace, and that was to climb the cliff.

The two ascended, Aladdin beneath Savannah so if she were to fall he would catch her. It reminded her of the old times of losing the guards in the marketplace, climbing and scaling the unfinished and jagged walls of the poor. Her hands were numb and Aladdin's had begun to bleed, the salty air stung their worn and cut bodies. With a body still weary from having nearly drowned, Aladdin slipped and lost his footing, only to fall onto the form of Carpet, who had been drawn to them by Aladdin's grunts of displeasure. Savannah's heart lightened, for once, at the sight of the flying spectacle and openly lunged onto the carpet from her jagged ledge. She felt a sense of relief and rubbed her hands together, sighing contently. Aladdin was focused on what lied beyond the cliff's edge.

It was the Genie, large and guarding the palace. Grey storm clouds lingered above them and Jafar beamed from the very top of the palace. "It's over, street rat!" He cried, manically. Aladdin's focus trailed to Jasmine, who was chained to the palace doors, stripped of her blue regal attire for a sultry, fiery red garb only fit for a snake. The blood began to boil in Aladdin's veins as he snarled and dove towards Jasmine and the Sultan, who appeared scared and confused as to how all of this came about. He paused halfway, suspended in frozen animation as Jafar's scepter controlled the carpet.

"Not so fast. You think you can steal from me and take what rightfully belongs to me?" Jafar grinned. "I promised you a reward, boy. You did what you were asked; you retrieved the lamp for me. As much of a nuisance as you've been, I have it at long last." He cackled triumphantly. "Genie, I'll have my second wish. I wish to be an all powerful sorcerer!"

With a momentary break in Jafar's previous command, the staff broke and the trio, including Carpet, fell. Aladdin ran to Jasmine after knowing Savannah was at least stable. He had to break Jasmine and her father free before Jafar could conduct further damage. Savannah, however, saw the lamp within reach. Jafar would be fixed on Aladdin, powerful or not, his eyes couldn't be everywhere. She crouched and crept, sliding against the wall of the palace, glancing continuously back and forth between Aladdin and Jafar.

Jafar had grounded at level with Aladdin, wrapping Aladdin with a glowing red tether. As much as Savannah had been surrounded by magic as of late, it still surprised her when it occurred. She sharply gasped, quickly shutting her mouth.

"Take a good look, Princess. Your Prince is no more than a filthy commoner. You see your highness? The boy you placed all your faith into is no Prince at all." He spat.

"More of a Prince than you'll ever be, Jafar," Jasmine snapped. Savannah eased herself back into her task of retrieving the lamp. She still had her wish to be granted and she had just the one.

"I don't think so, young street mouse-" Savannah's wrists were bound by the shimmering magical red tether and suddenly she was levitating. She wriggled for freedom, and that seemed to excite Jafar more. "You see, there's just no room for you here." Uncertain of what that meant, Savannah quickly shot her eyes to Aladdin before she disappeared in a billow of red smoke. Aladdin cried her name out and glared up at Jafar.

"Where did you take her!?" Aladdin demanded.

"I would worry less about her you filth, and worry about yourself. I don't see how you can win against me, boy." He forced Aladdin's tether to his face. "You're defeated!"


	16. Outsmarting the Enemy

Chapter Sixteen- Outsmarting the Enemy

All hope did seem bleak. The Genie was out of his grasp and he had two lives to care for. No harm could come to Jasmine or her father, not if he could help it. Prince Ali was a pompous, egotistical prick on a spinning wheel of lies. Ali couldn't help him, but the mind of Aladdin could. What would a street rat do?

The skies rained fire, the clouds a dark grey to match his mood and his intentions. It was all so deliciously evil. Jafar curled within himself in excitement. He was about to receive everything he ever wanted, everything he thought he had coming to him. Years of servitude beneath the bumbling idiot of a ruler; he could do far better, he knew it. Marry Jasmine by force since he could not force her to fall in love with him, take the throne. Rule Agrabah with fear and force them all into poverty, let them kill one another for a bone or bean. Let them pluck one another off one by one until hardly any were left.

After several head turns of looking back and forth between Jasmine and Jafar, Aladdin himself disappeared behind a column. He needed only a moment to trick Jafar somehow. The genie, he thought. Genie, magic, the lamp, he listed. His eyes widened. That was it. Jafar cackled taunts to lure Aladdin out. As much as the sorcerer could turn the retch into ash, it was far more fun to play with his prey.

Aladdin stepped back before Jafar, in front of Jasmine as he made eye contact with the man who sought to destroy him to gain his own power. He was at first a ruler, then a sorcerer. But, that power wasn't enough. For good measure, Jafar destroyed a column and caused Jasmine and her father to jump and cower.

"It's not enough for you, is it?" Aladdin asked.

Jafar narrowed his eyes. "And just what do you mean by that, boy?"

"The power, you crave more of it. Being a sorcerer is what you know, right? But what you don't know is the almighty power of a genie."

Jafar appeared intrigued, the skies lightened as the rain halted. It was all powered by emotion and hatred. Jafar was placid with thought. "You're right. The genie's power does exceed my own. A mere sorcerer is not enough. What a clever idea boy, and when I do harness this power, you'll be the first to go."

Grinning manically, Jafar turned to Genie, who stared on with helpless, widened eyes. He was enslaved to Jafar, a sociopath with a vengeance. He only had one master like that prior and destroyed an empire. He was reliving that period in time all over again.

"Slave, I have my final wish. I wish to be an all powerful genie."

He had no choice but to do as he was commanded. He glared at Aladdin, who stood with the royal family. Aladdin's hand held tight to Jasmine's. The genie engulfed Jafar into his magic, sharing with him his own. The transformation cut some of Genie's power and gave it to the willing host. On the inside, the magical being winced as Jafar became a genie, a red demonic being whose cackle boomed into the empty sky.

"The power! Yes! The power is finally mine!"

As Jafar basked in reverence, absorbing the fullness of his power, Aladdin scrambled away. His feet were quiet against the broken pavement, all coming from years of experience to not get caught. He hid behind a pillar again and snaked on his stomach to the other end. The black lamp was in reach. It was elegant, tempting, and yearning for black magic. It oozed and radiated evil. The lamp was so convincing of darkness, Aladdin wondered if it would burn the palms of his hands to protect Jafar.

Aladdin had to test the idea. He grasped the lamp between the palms of his hands. The bottom scraped against the pavement, causing Jafar to snap his head at Aladdin. He growled, though golden cuffs appeared on Jafar's wrists. Jafar was now bound to the man he sought to destroy. The situation was flipped for the former sorcerer and Aladdin merely smiled.

"You wanted this power, right? This power comes with a price! Jafar, I wish you back into the lamp!" He had no choice but to do as his master commanded. The Genie Jafar's eyes widened, hollering as he slowly was sucked into the vortex of the lamp. Feeling that rush of power, Aladdin looked down, barely unable to believe what he had just accomplished. He banished Jafar, and he wouldn't be released until someone rubbed the lamp.

As Jafar was sealed, all of his damage began to unwind itself. The palace back in his glamorous stature, pavement resealed; Jasmine and her father back to their former selves. Everything was as it should been, with the exception of one thing. Aladdin looked down at the lamp, then back up at Genie.

Genie smiled and took the item from Aladdin. He admired the craft and design. "I think a thousand years in The Cave of Wonders ought to give him some time to decide on what he wants in life, how about you?" With the flick of his finger, the lamp disappeared from the royal's eye so their time to forget Jafar could begin.

Aladdin rushed to Jasmine and raised her, swung her in his arms and brought her down in a warm, enclosed embrace. He'd be crazy to let her go after everything that had transpired. He'd be a fool.

The sultan witness his daughter and this boy embrace. This fellow resembled Prince Ali and yet was not Ali at all. Aladdin turned to face the sultan and his smile faded, although the plump father waddled over between the two. Jasmine had been ready to fight, her body stiff, her voice ready to protest.

"Before you can say anything," Sultan began. "I understand what the law states, but am I sultan or who am I then? I declare a new law." He chuckled. "The princess may choose whoever she deems worthy."

With those words in mind, Jasmine ran into Aladdin's arms. Aladdin curled Jasmine close to him and nodded slowly to the sultan, who watched the youths with a tender smile. Aladdin glanced around to see Savannah nowhere in sight. He assumed the worst when she hadn't returned with the rest. Jafar's magic should have returned her. Aladdin had so much to say, but was so focused on getting Jasmine that he neglected the person who really cared for him.

"Al, you know that-" The genie began as he read the look on his friends face.

"I know no one could bring her back."

"I don't think she's dead. I believe Jafar took her someplace no one can reach. Just say the world and I'll-"

Aladdin shook his head. Just like his mother, just like people he had known, once they left they hardly ever returned. There was one thing he could do, however, and it would set things right. Yes, he had two wishes remaining. But, it was time to think for someone else.

"Genie, I wish-"

"That's right, go on," Genie encouraged.

"Genie, I wish you free."

And it was with that that Genie's hands were dismantled from their golden cuffs. Any remnants of genie servitude were dispersed into thin air. He was free. All those false wishes from masters before, all ideas seeded into his head, he knew those two would follow through. He embraced Aladdin fully. Excited, he began to scheme idea as a free entity. He would return to his friend, and he would promise. And as a good friend, he would do Aladdin a favor in his travels.

"If I happen to find Savannah, Al, I'll bring her home."

Aladdin looked up at Genie and released the breath he had been holding.

"Do you really think she's out there?"

Jasmine placed her hand over Aladdin's. "I do."

* * *

"You're thinking, aren't you?" Jasmine said as she found him at her balcony, staring off at the sky. He tossed away a flower he had been plucking the petals from, which had fallen on Rajah below, who glanced up with annoyance. "You can't allow yourself to feel guilt for what happened," Jasmine added. "There was nothing any of us could have done."

"I know," Aladdin agreed, sighing. "But where could Jafar have taken her?" He slammed his fist onto the railing. Jasmine shook her head and took his fist into her hand.

"Come, father wishes to speak to you." A look of dread appeared on Aladdin's face. That could never be a good thing.

Aladdin descended the staircase and into the audience chamber, back in his ceremonial street rat garb. The Sultan perked a brow at his appearance, his elder eyes hopeful to see the character of Prince Ali and that he truly was a prince. Jafar had not lied in that regard. Jasmine stood in the doorway, curious as to what her father would say.

"My boy, you came into my palace and deceived me. You wished for my daughter's hand without a penny to your name. I trusted you; I gave you the benefit of the doubt. You took advantage of a Sultan's trust and now you still ask for her hand."

Aladdin cleared his throat; his head bowed the entirety of the Sultan's speech. Jasmine craved to interject, but she saw the look in her father's eye. The Sultan was not yet finished. "But I was not wrong about your character. I'll have my eye on you. I will continue to see you as a suitor for my daughter. You saved us. That is worth something, at least. I meant what I said about Jasmine choosing for her, but you must further prove yourself worthy of my people."

Aladdin swallowed hard, but all hope was not lost. He smiled and bowed his head. "Thank you, your majesty. I will not fail you."

With a small smile, the Sultan nodded and sent Aladdin off to Jasmine's waiting arms. Aladdin scooped her into them and left the room after setting her down. She squeezed Aladdin's hand in a comforting manner and nodded.

"As grim as that sounded, it's a good sign." She leaned against him and walked with him into the courtyard. "So, what will you do about Savannah?" She saw Aladdin's hardened face. A lot weighed on his mind. She frowned gently and desired to comfort him in any way she could imagine.

"I don't know. But, I can't stop trying, Jasmine. She has to be somewhere."

"She could be anywhere…"

"I know. It's a matter of where to start."

Aladdin left the palace grounds, treading areas he used to run. He passed the fish merchant, the blacksmith, the jeweler and then the baker. Each man nodded to the other out of respect. Feet padding against the littered pavement, Aladdin stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued forth. In the end, he got the girl and saved the ruler. By law, he was proclaimed a hero and worthy of the sultan's attention. On neutral ground, Aladdin was relieved that the sultan didn't forbid him from his daughter.

Turning down blocks and passing the families blow out their candles to say goodnight; he prevented the beam from smacking him in the head. Treading up the stairs, he took a moment to survey his hovel, taking a seat down upon the open hole in the wall, glancing now at the view of the palace. Grand as it was, he understood lavish walls and pampered living. His former dream was over and now he could start anew. His dreams were attainable to him. Jasmine was in his arms, he, out of all the men out in existence won the heart of the princess. It was all hard earned and he couldn't have felt more accomplished.

His adventure wasn't over. Part two was just beginning. He regained himself and Savannah wouldn't let him lose himself to his dreams. She made them attainable to him. Memories of love were distant, yet so close.


	17. Epilogue

So, Memories comes to a close. Thank you to all who read this through. I do feel it's an improvement to the first take on the tale. Please give this version a shot, it's a lot more grammatically correct, haha. Please leave all comments in the review box, any suggestions for the current sequel "The Prophecy" would be appreciated. Thank you all!

* * *

 **Epilogue**

The dessert sands whipped violently upon the coming of a storm. Lightning flashed not too far off, along with the rumble of thunder. Two men on horseback struggled against the drifts that stung their faces. The open sand was violent, whipping their faces worse than any lashing ever could. Nature was telling them they shouldn't tread any further. Their hoods and masks offered little protection against the elements, but, it kept the sun from beating down on them.

"Is that it, Bab?" The male on the tan horse inquired, steadying the animal he had been riding. They could not remain in one place for too long. The animals were riled up in such storms. "I don't think we should be here, we should probably go back."

"Don't be such a wuss, no one is telling us to go back. It's a freak storm," Babkak neglected the others whining. "Omar, that's just the place. Smells like home doesn't it?" He deeply inhaled and then exhaled, when he spoke, his voice was jovial with relief. "Agrabah is callin' us back."

"Oh man, isn't the Sultan, like, richer than all of them combined?" Omar asked. The lanky male trembled on his horse. Nervous he was of his surroundings, peering in each and every direction.

"The Sultan is worth more than all of the richest men combined." Babkak sifted through his memory bank at just what their leader said and instructed. "We're to investigate and look for any weak spots for the guys to crack into. Omar, you check the marketplace. I've got the palace. That scepter's gotta be there somewhere. He needs that hand."

Omar nodded and trotted a few steps ahead, only to step on something before the horse backed away slowly. Omar blinked and glanced down. "I think somethin's down there," he said.

"Yeah, sand," Babkak replied and rolled his eyes. "Keep going, I wanna see what's new inside those walls." He could smell the sand, the scents of perfume and spices, all the things that nourished the walls of Agrabah that he could no longer roam. Not since his encounter...

Agrabah used to be home to the duo, a dead opportunity for a future. They were two poor boys, threatened by everyday life. They couldn't eat without being scolded and food was hard to come by. Babkak enjoyed food, and Omar was too timid by the guards. Agrabah offered nothing. They plotted and schemed and each turned empty without promise.

Omar, too intrigued by his own curiosity, slid off of his horse and approached just what the horse had nearly crushed. It was solid; it didn't feel like any block of sand that was ready for the oncoming storm. He was determined to see just what lied beneath.

"Omar, this is a waste," Babkak groaned. "We're on a time limit here." Babkak had little patience for things that held no benefit. Omar's declaration of exploration had him perturbed and irritated.

Glaring at Babkak's urgency, Omar nudged the object with his foot. Yes, he confirmed it was solid and this object was also soft. Pausing, Omar began to dust sand away, finding dark strands poking out from beneath the white sandy layer. "I-I think it's a person!" He stammered his heart beginning to race. What if this person is still alive? He picked up his pace, wanting resolution to his busy mind. He would tear the grains if he could. Now fabric came through, then a hand. Burnt, but it was a hand regardless. "Babkak, help me!"

The thicker male shifted his gaze away from the palace and to the half exposed body from the sandy grave. He dismounted his horse and kneeled down. "Well, I'll be damned. It is a person." Refusing to waste time, he slid his hand beneath the body and tugged it until it emerged, sand falling from either side and pooled from her hair. Upon examination, he identified this form to be female. Probably a whore put out to pasture. Such a pity, but it happened occasionally. That was Arabia's brutality for you.

"Is she…alive?" Omar squeaked out.

Without answering, Babkak raised the female's chest to his ear, and listened for some type of pulse. He lowered her back to waist level. "She's alive, but barely." Her breath was soft, yet shallow. She needed some type of attention and quickly.

"We should take her back with us to Cassim. He'd know what to do!"

"She's probably some whore, Omar. Happens all the time." He debated on whether to waste his time. Chances were she could die on the way there and then what? He would listen to Omar's hysterics on the woman dying.

"Babkak, we took an oath-" Omar was cut off. The male huffed, frustrated at Babkak's nonchalant behavior in regards to a living being. Death happened, this was true. But, Omar was taught to have respect for the living, especially women. If he could help her, then damn it, he would.

"And we've had women in our beds before." However, Babkak turned and took the female to his horse. If this girl was a whore, she was awfully pretty. He thought whoever had done this had to be some type of fool. But, he suspected batting eyelashes only got someone so far.

The whipping sands simmered and the thunder suddenly stopped. Something inside of Babkak reasoned with a change of heart. Something inside told him that he couldn't leave her. "Well, whatever happened…yeah, alright, let's take her back."

Omar let out the breath he had been holding. He knew the girl would be safe now. If she had a pulse, she had a chance. He was curious of her story and where she came from. Looks like Agrabah would have to wait. Omar helped Babkak saddle her so she laid in Omar's lap, leaving her in his care. The dark haired woman was a mystery, but they would just have to wait until she woke before they would hear of her anecdotes. Babkak had a heart, even though his lips were laced with vulgarity. But, he supposed that's what being a member of the Forty Thieves did to you.


	18. Soundtrack for Reliving Memories

So, while I'm thinking of how to conclude the sequel, I thought it would be fun to create a soundtrack list. I've seen it done with other fics, and I thought it would be entertaining to find songs that compliments the fic. Here we go! Tell me if you've listened to any and what you think :)!

 **Soundtrack List**

1\. Idina Menzel...I Stand

2\. JoJo...My Secret Love

3\. Shania Twain...That Don't Impress Me Much

4\. Maroon 5...Tangled

5\. Cyndi Lauper...Time After Time

6\. Magic!...Rude

7\. Spice Girls...Say You'll Be There

8\. Britney Spears...Over Protected

9\. Backstreet Boys...The Answer to Our Life

10\. Rufus Wainwright...Hallelujah

11\. Savage Garden...Truly Madly Deeply

A lot of pop music I didn't think I'd use for this, but interestingly enough in itself. I wonder what "The Prophecy's" soundtrack will entail!


End file.
